Catalyzing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into Aquaculture Workforce Development

Summary: Growing demand for sustainable protein has accelerated financial and political investment in marine aquaculture production in the U.S., with federal agencies, Congress, investors, companies, and NGOs all showing considerable interest. However, the U.S. aquaculture sector faces significant workforce development challenges that could affect successful industry build-out, including existing labor shortages and difficulties in attracting and retaining young talent to a sector that is not well known domestically. While not the sole solution to these challenges, enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could facilitate a more stable aquaculture workforce.

Over the last year, Meridian Institute interviewed over 25 stakeholders from across the U.S. aquaculture workforce development pipeline (elementary educators, high schools, training/technical schools and colleges, and career/industry professionals and entrepreneurs) to understand barriers to enhancing DEI in the domestic aquaculture industry and to assess opportunities for addressing those barriers throughout the pipeline. Primarily engaging interviewees whose work touches the nexus of DEI and aquaculture, our conversations revealed three areas where federal government action could catalyze further work to enhance DEI:

1. Invest in studies to understand the demographic makeup of the U.S. marine aquaculture industry and barriers to diverse representation;
2. Invest in areas along the workforce development pipeline where barriers are most prohibitive to recruitment and retention of women, minorities, and others from diverse communities; and
3. Support monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that investments are actually enhancing diversity in participation and ownership.

These opportunities aim to both diversify and bolster an emerging ocean industry in the U.S., aligned with the SOST's Decadal Vision goal of Promoting Economic Prosperity in the nation's blue economy.

Sector: NGO, Non-profit consultancy
Organization: Meridian Institute
POC: Ian Yue, iyue@merid.org
Other Contacts: Meghan Massaua, mmassaua@merid.org; Maia Hatchett,
mhatchett@merid.org