Introduction
Despite its strategic role in food production, aquaculture has traditionally suffered from limited public awareness and social acceptance in Spain. In 2019, research commissioned by APROMAR revealed that most citizens had little understanding of aquaculture and often associated fish farming with negative concepts such as artificial production, overcrowding, lower product quality and environmental concerns. These perceptions represented a barrier to social licence and sector development. To address this challenge, APROMAR launched the Strategic Communication Plan for Spanish Aquaculture (PLECA), aiming to increase public awareness, improve perception of aquaculture products and strengthen social support for the sector.
Methods
The communication strategy was implemented between 2020 and 2025 and combined three complementary approaches:1. Public education on what aquaculture is, why it is necessary and how it is practiced in Spain.2. Development of science-based communication materials, including digital content, media outreach, expert collaborations and search-engine positioning.3. Promotion of sector initiatives reinforcing transparency and credibility, including sustainability reports and fish welfare guidelines. The strategy also introduced a communication shift from the widely recognised term "fish farming" (piscifactoría), strongly associated with negative perceptions, towards the broader concept of "aquaculture", accompanied by messages focused on sustainability, animal welfare, food security and scientific evidence. Public perception was monitored through periodic national surveys conducted between 2019 and 2025.
Results and Discussion
The results indicate a substantial improvement in public awareness and acceptance of aquaculture. Spontaneous awareness of aquaculture increased from 1.9% in 2019 to 11.4% in 2025. Total awareness reached 51.8%, while aided recognition reached 77.4%. Among citizens familiar with aquaculture, 75.7% reported a positive or very positive opinion of the activity, and 97.7% considered aquaculture necessary or very necessary for society. Perceptions of Spanish aquaculture were particularly favourable. Seventy-eight percent of respondents considered Spanish aquaculture better than aquaculture in less developed countries, while 94.3% considered it equal to or better than aquaculture in other developed countries. The findings suggest that long-term communication strategies based on transparency, scientific evidence and sector commitment can contribute significantly to strengthening social licence. Results also indicate that communication effects are cumulative, with the most significant improvements occurring during the final stages of the programme.
Conclusions
The Spanish experience demonstrates that improving public perception of aquaculture requires more than isolated campaigns. Sustained communication efforts, supported by credible sector actions and measurable evidence, can transform aquaculture from a poorly understood activity into one perceived as necessary, responsible and socially valuable. This case study may provide useful lessons for other aquaculture-producing countries seeking to strengthen public trust and social acceptance.