SOCIAL LICENCE

Andalusia tests aquaculture’s social licence as part of 2030 strategy review

Seville, Spain, 24 March 2026 | A public consultation aims to assess how society perceives aquaculture at a critical stage for the sector’s development

Encuesta tipo test

The regional government of Andalusia has launched a mid-term review of its Aquaculture Strategy 2021-2030, opening a public consultation process aimed at assessing how aquaculture is perceived by society. The consultation, open until 19 April, is intended to incorporate public input at a critical stage for the sector’s positioning as a sustainable food production system.

As part of the process, authorities have introduced a 15-question survey targeting the general public, alongside an open channel for contributions from citizens, organisations and stakeholders. The initiative seeks to gather insights on awareness, consumption patterns and overall perceptions of aquaculture, including key aspects such as food safety, environmental impact and its contribution to employment and local economies.

Beyond its participatory nature, the initiative highlights a growing priority for policymakers: measuring aquaculture’s “social licence to operate”. The survey directly addresses issues such as consumer trust in farmed products, perceived sustainability and the sector’s role in supporting coastal and rural communities – factors that have increasingly influenced project development across different regions.

The review comes at a time of mounting pressure on production costs, rising demand for aquatic protein and increasing societal scrutiny over environmental performance. In this context, public acceptance is emerging as a critical factor not only for sector growth, but also for its integration into broader agri-food systems.

Against this backdrop, the Andalusian government presents the review as an opportunity to align stakeholders around a model of aquaculture capable of generating economic value, delivering high-quality products and operating under sustainability criteria.

However, the outcome will largely depend on how effectively public perception is translated into concrete measures that enable sector development.

Ultimately, the consultation is expected to provide a clearer picture of both public awareness and potential trust gaps that may be limiting aquaculture’s expansion. For the sector is clear that the social perception is becoming an increasingly decisive factor in shaping policy frameworks and determining the viability of future projects.