If we look at the baseline, aquaculture can be defined as the cultivation of aquatic products such as fish, shellfish, and relatively algae. However, today's aquaculture encompasses much more than just growing products to bring them to market from any stage of cultivation. Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and it is estimated that by 2030, products from aquaculture will account for more than half of all globally traded produce.

Ensuring the delivery of the produced goods to the end consumer entails a significant responsibility in terms of communication, which is as essential and carefully managed as having low-quality and high-quality products. Moreover, accurate communication regarding the seafood industry should become an integral component of this industry.

The seafood industry is growing, and along with the industry's growth comes an increase in the number of players within the seafood sector. Most of the current workforce in the industry is aging, and the new, younger professionals who are replacing them have their own visions, and goals they want to achieve through cultivation, missions, and different approaches to the business world. With the changing generation, it means that in the future, we will need more than just producing good products for the seafood sector. Many industries in the world are changing and transforming, and among the best examples, we can mention the transition from desktop and laptop computers to widescreen phones and tablets.

Good communication is essential for the success of aquaculture. To achieve this, the industry needs to develop certain methods in the following areas:

  1. Share information and awareness: Aquaculture is not an easy task from a technical perspective; it is complex and involves a lot of information that needs to be shared among different stakeholders such as growers, scientists, regulators, and consumers. Good communication helps everyone access the information they need to make decisions.
  2. Build relationships: We don't just cultivate fish in our own geography. Talking about Turkiye, coastal neighbor Greece is known for its sea bream and sea bass, which are among the most favored species within the European Union. It is important to remember that aquaculture is a global industry, and establishing good, strong, and trust-based relationships with other industry stakeholders worldwide is essential. Good communication helps establish the trust and collaboration necessary for the long-term success of the industry.
  3. Resolve conflicts: We are currently in a period of significant change and transformation in many areas. We must deal with several dynamics that directly affect the industry, such as climate change, invasiveness, and desertification underwater, and we need to find rational solutions to these problems. Furthermore, it is a fact that we have had conflicts with another major industry, tourism, in certain locations, both in the past and present. As we improve and develop aquaculture in our field, conflicts among different stakeholders are inevitable. Good communication helps resolve these conflicts in a constructive and mutually beneficial manner.
  4. Promote the industry: We are managing a qualified business by handling various dynamics, and ultimately, aquaculture is a form of sustainable food production for human consumption. However, it is possible that the general public, which is also our target audience, may not always fully understand the seafood industry, both in the past and present. Good communication helps promote the industry and increase awareness of its benefits.

While conducting communication activities, we now have various channels at our disposal. Although the COVID-19 pandemic, which held us captive for a while starting in 2010, has changed its form and shifted towards digitalization, several different routes can be drawn for the aquaculture industry. Let's take a quick look at them:

Face-to-face meetings: Meeting in person remains one of the best ways to explain your work. Engaging in face-to-face conversations, answering questions, and directly interacting with the target audience continue to be the best way to resolve conflicts.

Email: Email is a cost-effective way to communicate with a large number of people simultaneously and deliver your message to the target audience. There are many e-mail delivery services and applications today, feel free to use these tools.

Social media: Social media can be used to connect with a wide audience and share information about aquaculture. There are many personas today who regularly create content related to growing, processing, or cooking seafood.

Websites and blogs: Websites and blogs can be utilized to provide information about aquaculture and promote the industry. The content should be reviewed and optimized by experts who are well-versed in the sector.

Determining the best communication method for a specific situation depends on various factors such as the urgency of the message, the number of people who need to be reached, and the available budget. Therefore, different tools will be used for each message.

However, the most important point to remember is how and where you will obtain the data you will use to reach people. Personal Data Protection Laws regulate how you can obtain and use communication information, such as email and phone numbers, of individuals within your target audience. Therefore, before starting to collect data and share information about your aquaculture business with people, don't forget to review the laws in your country.

Effective communication is crucial for the success of aquaculture. Good communication helps promote the growth and development of aquaculture by sharing information, building relationships, resolving conflicts, and encouraging the industry.

Good and quality communication is now essential for the success of aquaculture. Communication enhances safety, efficiency, and sustainability, and positively impacts stakeholders by establishing trust-based relationships with the target audience. If you are involved in or interested in the aquaculture industry, it is crucial to ensure that you effectively communicate with all your stakeholders.