Aquaculture literacy initiative

About the initiative

From 2017 - 2023, CELC's aquaculture literacy initiative connected institutions to NOAA resources in order to engage visitors on the science, advancements, challenges, and benefits of sustainable aquaculture.

Three people standing on a dock around an open oyster cage. The person closest to the camera holds an oyster in their left hand and takes a photo with their phone in their right hand. — Credit: Brianna Shaughnessy/NOAA Office of Education
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Activities supporting this initiative:

CELC aquaculture webinars

CELC hosted 16 webinars featuring aquaculture experts in the field. Although CELC aquaculture education webinars are no longer occurring, NOAA's Community of Practice for Aquaculture Literacy will continue hosting webinars that help educators and others understand different messaging tools and resources of this growing industry. If interested in staying up to date, subscribe offsite linkto Friday Harvest, which shares aquaculture literacy-related events, funding opportunities, and communications tools.

You can view recordings of past webinars by visiting our YouTube playlist, or clicking on the links below.

Watch recordings of past webinars

Abalone aquaculture education pilot project with The Cultured Abalone Farm

Documenting the underwater world of shellfish farms for science & outreach

New interpretation approaches for diversity and inclusion

Seafood nutrition in the FDA’s work to reduce the effects of heavy metals

Improving equitable access to locally farmed seafood through the South Central Los Angeles Sustainable Seafood Hub

Sea Grant's role in aquaculture extension, outreach, and education

Hatching a plan for aquaculture education

Eat Seafood, America! A collaboration to promote sustainable seafood

White abalone captive breeding program

Advancing seaweed and shellfish aquaculture for climate change gain

The ocean saved humanity once — will aquaculture have to do it again?

OceanReports - a tool for U.S. aquaculture & other ocean industries

The following four webinars are not on YouTube:

May 2018 offsite link: Linda Cornish, Seafood Nutrition Partnership
September 2018 offsite link: Cindy Sandoval and Mark Dixon, NOAA Fisheries
December 2018: Mike Rust, NOAA Fisheries (slides)
January 2021: Dr. Andrew Rhyne, Roger Williams University (slides)

eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants Program

The eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants Program offsite link supported CELC aquariums, seafood farmers, and others that are working on innovative public aquaculture literacy experiences. Successful applicants received up to $15,000 to spend within a one-year project that builds a partnership across each sector.

These mini-grants are one part of an ongoing effort by NOAA’s Community of Practice for Aquaculture Literacy (CoPAL). CoPAL’s goal is to enhance support for sustainable aquaculture by increasing understanding of environmental and marine science topics among educators, professional networks, and groups involved in community outreach. In addition to forging lasting partnerships, the collective knowledge, skills, and products created through funded mini-grant activities will be integrated into CoPAL’s best practices for aquaculture communications and outreach.

For more information on these projects, you can watch the recordings of their presentations during the February 2023 virtual symposium.

All deadlines for the eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants program have passed. We are currently assessing when our next competition would be issued. For questions, you can reach out to the team at eeBLUE@naaee.org.

CELC members in the eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants program

A person stands in front of a table with a plastic toy and scuba fins while conversing with a guest.

Aquarium of the Pacific: Ocean farmers

The Aquarium of the Pacific, in collaboration with University of Southern California Sea Grant and Holdfast Aquaculture, assessed how families learn about the sector through play-based activities for young children. To hear more from the grantees themselves visit their project page.

Georgia Aquarium: SEE (social, economic, ecological) aquaculture

University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant created interactive and mobile exhibits to educate visitors at the Georgia Aquarium on the social, economic, and ecological implications of shellfish aquaculture. To learn more from the grantees themselves visit their project page.