Aquaculture Outreach and Education Materials

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Sustainably farmed seafood is a smart choice for healthy people, a healthy economy, and a healthy planet. Most of the public still has limited understanding of aquaculture and may encounter information that can be out of date, inaccurate, or incomplete. Science communications sources that share accurate information can increase aquaculture and sustainable seafood literacy.

Fact Sheets

Regional Fact Sheets

Each region of the United States features different ecosystems, a variety of water temperatures, and many different species. Just like their wild counterparts, aquaculture species need the right conditions to grow. Explore the regional aquaculture fact sheets to learn about the species, grow-out methods used, and the economic importance of aquaculture by region.

• Alaska
• California
• New England and Mid-Atlantic
• Northwest
• Pacific Islands
• Southeast

Deep-Dive Fact Sheets

Seafood farming, if done responsibly—as it is in the U.S.—is increasingly recognized as one of the most environmentally sustainable ways to produce food and protein. Farmed seafood requires far less feed than most terrestrial animals, and thirty years of lessons learned have been put into practice in U.S. aquaculture farm management and regulatory requirements. Learn more about the many facets of science-based, sustainable aquaculture in the U.S.:

• Antibiotic Use in Finfish
• Aquaculture and Environmental Interactions
• Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs)
• Aquaculture Provides Beneficial Ecosystem Services
• Climate Resilience and Aquaculture
• Disaster Assistance for Fisheries
• Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts on Aquaculture
• Marine Aquaculture in the U.S.
• Potential Risks of Aquaculture Escapes
• Regulation of Marine Aquaculture
• Sustainable Aquaculture Feeds and Fish Nutrition

Frequently Asked Questions

• Aquaculture Opportunity Areas
• Feeds for Aquaculture
• Marine Aquaculture and the Environment
• Marine Aquaculture and Recreational Fishing Interactions
• Understanding Marine Aquaculture
• Understanding Shellfish Aquaculture

Aquaculture Videos

Marine aquaculture refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of aquatic plants and animals. Faced with limited fresh water and land resources, seafood farmers are cultivating the ocean. These videos explore the challenges and benefits of marine aquaculture:

• Alaska Kelp Farming: A New Sustainable Seafood Opportunity
• Aquaculture Opportunity Areas 
• The Future of Ocean Farming
• Innovative Aquaculture Tools for a Growing Industry
• Milford Lab's GoPro Aquaculture Project
• No Shell Left Behind (2020 Emmy winner)
• Ocean to Table: Stories of Food, Farming, and Conservation

Eat More Seafood

Choosing to eat more seafood is good for your health and the environment. Use these guides to master easy and flavorful seafood recipes:

• FishWatch Recipes
• Oregon Sea Grant Recipes
• Seafood Nutrition Partnership Recipes
• 9 Seafood Recipes That Will Take Your Taste Buds on Vacation

Try something new: learn how to cook Kelp Noodles Fra Diavolo.

Not sure where to start? Check out Seafood: A Fare for Every Palate for help choosing a recipe.

eeBLUE Mini-grants

The eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-grants program is an exciting new pilot program that is supporting informal learning institutions (e.g., aquariums), seafood farmers (e.g., shellfish growers), and NOAA partners (e.g., Sea Grant) that are co-developing innovative sustainable aquaculture experiences.

Successful applicants receive up to $15,000 to spend within a one-year project that builds a partnership across each sector. Money for the mini-grants is provided by NOAA Fisheries and the National Sea Grant Office. Grants are collaboratively managed by the NOAA Office of Education and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) through the eeBLUE partnership.

eeBLUE Mid-project Report: July 2021-January 2022

Additional Resources

• Aquaculture Literacy at NOAA
• Aquaculture Library
• Aquaculture References and Further Reading
• Milford Lab Outreach, Partnerships, and Collaborations