Plenty of fish in the farm: Analysing the effect of aquaculture-based tourism on public perceptions of aquaculture

This study explores aquaculture-based tourism as a tool to improve public perceptions of aquaculture, promote sustainable development of marine industries, and advance Blue Growth. Global aquaculture production is rapidly increasing due to increased food security demands, protein needs, and declining wild fish stocks. However, the sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry is challenged in policymaking due to public scepticism and environmental concerns. Through 48 semi-structured interviews with visitors to a fish farm-tourism collaboration in Western Rhodes, Greece, this study examines the impact of these tours on public perceptions of aquaculture. Using a mixed methods approach combining quantitative Likert scale rankings and qualitative thematic analysis, this study investigates participants’ knowledge, perceptions, and the benefits and challenges of aquaculture-based tourism. Results show that over 80% of participants improved their views of aquaculture after the tour, influenced by experiential learning through snorkelling and educational talks. Thematic analysis revealed a lack of prior knowledge among participants, the reasonings for respective negative and positive and shifts from little understanding of fish farming to an appreciation of sustainable aquaculture practices. The findings underscore the role of effective communication in bridging public knowledge gaps, improving acceptability of aquaculture, and fostering a social license to operate for marine policymaking. By enhancing environmental awareness and reconnecting individuals with the marine socio-ecological system, aquaculture-based tourism incentivises responsible practices and supports multi-use marine management. This study contributes to limited literature on aquaculture perception research and highlights the potential of educational tourism to reshape attitudes and drive sustainable marine development.