Humanizing aquaculture development: Putting social and human concerns at the center of future aquaculture development

Abstract Compared with other aquaculture issues, attention to human and social dimensions is lagging behind. Sectoral development, policy, and programmatic factors have created inequities and sub‐optimal social outcomes, which are jeopardizing the broader contribution the sector could make to human well‐being. Human rights in aquaculture are at the core of this article, which argues that aquaculture development, as a major economic and food producing sector, needs to be about human development. The article reviews: the application of human rights in aquaculture, and the related right to decent work; the notions of justice and equity including the idea of Blue Justice and its relevance in aquaculture; and ethics and social license to operate with the challenges that business ethics and public acceptance pose to the sector. It also reviews how these issues affect people: women, along with slow progress in gender equality in the sector; youth and their engagement in aquaculture, while noting that ‘youth’ does not equate to “jobs” and requires the lifting of many more societal hurdles for their full participation in the sector; indigenous people and local ecological knowledge—a precious asset for future aquaculture as well as the survival and enhancement of the cultural value of aquaculture; and people with disabilities and other minorities who have yet to become fully visible and accounted for in aquaculture development. Redressing human and social issues in aquaculture, and placing people at the center of aquaculture development requires a fundamental change from business as usual. To humanize aquaculture development, a renewed human relationship with aquaculture is proposed, which is founded on recognizing substantive equality and agency, embracing intersectionality, that is, the multiple social dimensions of identity and interaction, and valuing cross‐disciplinary knowledge systems. It would be implemented through new, inclusive, business models, social provisioning approaches, and procedural justice and governance mechanisms for overcoming inequalities. Public, private, and non‐state actors will need to be involved, inclusive of small‐scale farmers, women, youth, people with disabilities, and indigenous communities as key groups. Six key messages conclude the article.