Factory-made or farm fresh? Measuring U.S. support for aquaculture as a food technology

Abstract

More than 50% of seafood produced globally for human consumption comes from aquaculture, and this percentage is rising. Aquaculture supporters point to many potential benefits of this production technology, including reducing pressure on wild fisheries, enabling more efficient production, and creating jobs. Yet, in recent years, aquaculture has lacked widespread support, and even generated amplified risk perceptions in some U.S. communities. In this study, we explore the factors leading individuals to view aquaculture as “factory-made” or “farm fresh” – that is, what predicts acceptance of aquaculture, and how might these variables differ from those previously shown to influence acceptance of other “novel” food technologies, such as GM food? We report on the results of an online survey (N = 800) and offer evidence that support for aquaculture is associated with, among other variables, its perceived benefits outweighing its perceived risks, perceived controllability over one's exposure to its products, trust in scientists and the process of science, and perceived credibility of the sources providing public audiences with information. Implications for policy, such as how to shape strategic messaging about aquaculture given low-information publics, are presented.