Solutions
Seafood for the Future is proud to work with many different stakeholders to discuss and develop solutions for a more responsible seafood supply that can contribute to a more nutritious, sustainable, resilient, and equitable food supply. Explore this page to learn more about our projects and collaborations.
Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Cutting the Blue Tape for Aquaculture in California
Project Dates May 2021 – Dec 2022
Seafood for the Future received funding from the Builders Initiative to work with CEA Consulting to support a more consistent and efficient permitting process for marine aquaculture in California. Working with partners and leveraging previous work, the project gathered California stakeholder views on aquaculture and identify barriers to permitting marine aquaculture. The report recommends solutions to create a more consistent and efficient permitting process for sustainable marine aquaculture activities that support restoration, conservation, climate, research, and food production and other commercial efforts.
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Funding Provided By
Builders Initiative -
Partners
CEA Consulting -
Content & Publications
Improving Public Awareness And Perceptions About Seaweed Marine Aquaculture As a Tool to Address Climate Change
Project Dates: 2021-2023
Seafood for the Future (SFF) received funding from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to support ongoing efforts to engage and educate broader audiences about responsible marine aquaculture. These funds will support a three-year effort by SFF staff and the Aquarium’s education team to test messages, create a messaging framework with other aquariums, and develop education content. The funding is part of a $100 million award by the Bezos Earth Fund to WWF to accelerate the most promising solutions that harness the power of nature to provide for communities and stabilize our climate.
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Funding Provided By
World Wildlife Fund -
Partners
WWF, Brianna Shaughnessy (NOAA Office of Education & Office of Aquaculture), and Prime Group LLC. -
Content & Publications
- PBS series (Coming Summer 2023)
- An exploratory analysis of coastal perspectives of seafood farming expansion in the United States
- Education Module (Coming December 2023)
Assessing Policy Barriers for Mariculture in the United States While Accounting for Fisheries Context
Project Dates: 2019-2021
Seafood for the Future is proud to join a group of researchers who were awarded funds from National Sea Grant to study marine aquaculture data and policy to support sustainable development in the United States. The results of this research have yielded some interesting findings, including inconsistency and uncertainty in how marine aquaculture data are collected and shared in and among states. As a result of these findings, we are hosting a series of virtual workshops to discuss potential solutions and opportunities to improve the consistency of data quality across states.
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Funding Provided By
NOAA National Sea Grant -
Project Website
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Project Partners
Halley Froehlich (University of California Santa Barbara), Sarah Lester (Florida State University), Rebecca Gentry (Florida State University), Luke Gardner (Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego, CA Sea Grant), Gretchen Hoffman (University of California Santa Barbara), Kimberly Thompson, (Aquarium of the Pacific) -
Content & Publications
- First Look: Study on Marine Aquaculture Data and Policy to Support Sustainable Development in the US | June 2, 2021
- Data and Policy Virtual Workshops | June 16, 2021 and June 30, 2021
- Policy Brief
Developing Effective, Low-Cost Community Outreach Tools for Fishers and Seafood Farmers
Project Dates: September 2021-December 2022
Seafood for the Future received funding from NOAA Fisheries through the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Competition to provide tools and resources for fishermen, seafood farmers, and other stakeholders to leverage science-based messages and content to build trust and improve public perceptions about responsible U.S. seafood. In collaboration with representatives from the seafood community, we will develop a messaging and outreach guide that will include tested messages and methods for more effective distribution of those messages on social media.
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Funding Provided By
NOAA Fisheries -
Project Partners
Prime Group LLC, Fat Moon Creative, Pacific Shellfish Institute, Maine Aquaculture Association, Oyster South, Hawaii Sea Grant, Louisiana Sea Grant, Route to Market LLC, Mark Helvey (NOAA Fisheries, Retired), Seafood Nutrition Partnership, Ocean Strategies, NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture -
Content & Publications
Messaging & Outreach Guide for Fishermen, Seafood Farmers, and Seafood Stakeholders
Exploring Sustainable Seafood
Project Dates: 2020
Seafood for the Future convened this virtual panel series in 2020. The series features scientists and experts who discuss the big picture of sustainable seafood and its role in and relationship with climate change, nutrition, livelihoods, policy, society, and more.
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Supported By
Honda Marine Science Foundation and Pacific6 -
Project Website
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Featured Experts
This series features scientists and experts from universities, government and nongovernment organizations, industry and more. Visit the webpage for more information. -
Updates
This project was completed November 2020 -
Content & Publications
- Lecture Videos Playlist
- Exploring Sustainable Seafood: Event Page | Find the lecture videos, bonus videos, and additional resources
Eat Seafood, America!
Project Dates: 2020-present
The Eat Seafood, America! is a collaborative social media media campaign designed to get Americans to eat more seafood for human and environmental health. The effort is being driven by members of the Seafood4Health Action Coalition, which includes stakeholders from industry, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Seafood for the Future is proud to be part of this important multi-stakeholder campaign.
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Project Website
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Partners
Seafood4Health Action Coalition
Ocean to Table: Stories of Food, Farming, and Conservation
Project Dates: 2017
Seafood for the Future, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) University of Southern California (USC) Sea Grant, and partners feature U.S. marine aquaculture, or farming in the sea, in the educational video series called Ocean to Table: Stories of Food, Farming, and Conservation. The Aquarium-led production brings together seafood farmers, scientists, and chefs from around the country to share their stories. Each video showcases a different ocean farm and different types of seafood. Cooking tips and recipes are also shared so anyone can enjoy healthy, responsibly produced U.S. seafood at home with confidence.
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Funding Provided By
NOAA USC Sea Grant -
Project Website
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Partners
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Sea Grant, The Nature Conservancy, NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, NOAA National Ocean Service, Seafood Nutrition Partnership, University of Southern California Sea Grant -
Featured Experts
This series was hosted by Chef Barton Seaver (Author of For Cod and Country and The Joy of Seafood, Founder Coastal Culinary Academy) and features seafood farmers, scientists, and other experts. Visit the website for more information. -
Updates
This project was completed in 2018. -
Content & Publications
Storied Seafood
2016-2019
Storied Seafood was developed by Seafood for the Future and NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center. The program highlights various perspectives and efforts throughout the seafood supply chain to address specific ocean conservation issues associated with seafood. It provides a platform from which to discuss, develop, and inform the public about collaborative solutions for healthy people and ocean ecosystems. The focus for this project was the California swordfish fishery and fisheries affecting and affected by vaquita bycatch and conservation efforts.
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Funding Provided By
The Marine Mammal Commission -
Project Website
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Partners
NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center -
Featured Experts
This series includes perspectives and expert input from fishermen, NOAA Fisheries, Seafood Watch, The Nature Conservancy, and more. View the website for more information. -
Content & Publications
Workshops & Forums
Over the last decade, the Aquarium of the Pacific has hosted multiple discussions around aquaculture, fisheries, and public perceptions. Explore the various Workshops and Forums about Responsible Seafood below.
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Public Perceptions Forum
On October 4 and 5, 2018, the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Seafood for the Future program and American Honda, in partnership with the Honda Marine Science Foundation, convened and facilitated a forum, titled: Aligning Stakeholder Communications for U.S. Marine Aquaculture at the Aquarium of the Pacific. The forum’s goal was to expand responsible marine aquaculture, or farming in the sea, in the U.S. by facilitating the communication of accurate information to consumers, regulators, policymakers, and the public. The output will be a communications strategy to facilitate more cohesive and accurate messaging about U.S. marine aquaculture in state and federal waters among diverse stakeholder groups.
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Marine Finfish Aquaculture in the U.S. and California
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- Essay Adaptation of Jerry R. Schubel’s Presentation on December 2, 2016: Marine Finfish Aquaculture in the U.S. and California
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Offshore Aquaculture in the Southern California Bight
The Sea Grant Workshop on Offshore Aquaculture in the Southern California Bight was convened in April 2015 to develop the frames of reference and rationale for creation of an offshore finfish aquaculture industry in southern California.
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Ecosystems and Fisheries
In May 2009, the Aquarium brought together a group of leading marine scientists, informal educators, communicators, exhibit designers, and public policy experts to identify and explore major ocean issues and to develop documents and strategies to engage the public in these issues. The report below explores the impacts a rising sea and associated storm surges will have on the U.S. and nations throughout the world, and on coastal living resources. It describes areas at greatest risk and offers suggestions for increasing the resilience of coastal communities.
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Is Offshore Finfish Aquaculture in the Southern California Bight an Idea Whose Time Has Come?
In September 2008 the Aquarium convened a group of proponents of aquaculture, opponents, and the undecided to answer the question: Is there an opportunity for development of offshore finfish aquaculture in the Southern California Bight?
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Aquaculture Siting Workshop
On July 16, 2007 the Aquarium of the Pacific organized and facilitated a day and a half workshop that brought together scientists, restaurateurs, participants from the aquaculture industry, and representatives of governmental agencies to explore siting of fish farms in state and federal waters of the Southern California Bight.