Visions of public participation in EU aquaculture policy

The European Union (EU) has a strong will to grow its share on the global aquaculture market. Aquaculture is perceived as a partial solution for various issues, including reaching carbon-neutrality goals set in the European Green Deal. An adequate consideration of social aspects, including public participation and justice, could be considered a prerequisite for sustainable aquaculture production, but consideration of this dimension has thus far been lacking in many parts of the world. As production intensifies, social considerations become even more topical. This paper scrutinises EU policy visions of public participation in aquaculture planning. Drawing on key aquaculture policy documents, supplemented by interviews with EU policy actors, the paper describes how the EU envisions citizens’ role in planning of aquaculture. The analysis is based on the concepts of public participation and blue justice. It reveals that although citizens’ involvement in the EU blue economy is perceived as a necessity, the integration of public participation in aquaculture-specific policies is lacking. The results highlight the discontinuity between the policy and the limited understanding of citizens’ role in aquaculture planning. Achieving a participatory and just EU aquaculture requires a clearer identification of the participants and a reconsideration of citizens’ role.