Fish Prisons and Bluehouses: Perceived Risks and Benefits of Land-based Aquaculture in Four US Communities

ABSTRACT The farming of aquatic species in water environments, aquaculture is presently the fastest-growing food producing sector worldwide yet is unfamiliar to many Americans. In this study, we examine perceptions of land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), a novel approach to raising fish. Through in-depth interviews (n = 71) with diverse stakeholders in four US communities, we explore how individuals make sense of the risks and benefits associated with proposed or existing RAS facilities and situate these judgments in the context of “naturalness.” As a hybrid of fishing and industrial farming, land-based RAS can both support and undermine perceived naturalness, thus posing both perceived benefits and risks to local environments and economies. As a form of restoration, some RAS projects bring economic and environmental revitalization to communities; however, this restoration is understood in the context of a site’s historical use. Findings contribute to emerging environmental scholarship on food systems communication, and offer practical applications for public communication surrounding aquaculture development.