A large number of US seafood consumers have a negative perception of farmed seafood, according to the preliminary results of Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA)-The Fishin’ Company joint survey.
The survey consisted of more than 40 questions on a variety of topics including farmed versus wild seafood, country of origin and sustainability, and was answered by more than 500 US consumers nationwide.
According to the survey, 47% of respondents have a negative perception of farmed seafood due to product quality, food-safety concerns and environmental concerns, despite just 5% of respondents saying they buy only wild seafood.
When asked about their perceptions of aquaculture, the results were mixed, but a higher-than-expected percentage understand the role of aquaculture in feeding the world’s growing population.
Native fish populations are being overfished and farming is more sustainable, said one respondent.
In a controlled environment, food safety is more certain, said another respondent.
GAA’s board of directors said despite nearly half of respondents having a negative perception, this is improving and a bigger opportunity exists to better educate consumers on the role of responsible aquaculture in feeding the world’s growing population.
The full survey results will be presented at GAA’s GOAL 2015 conference in Vancouver, Canada, from 26 to 29 October.
Mercator Media Ltd 2015