Part 2—A Little Goes a Long Way: How Small Programs Are Educating Communities About Farmed Seafood

The eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants Program is a collaboration between the North American Association for Environmental Education and NOAA that has funded 19 projects since 2020. The funding enables aquaculture industry members to work alongside educators and researchers to develop resources that strengthen community understanding of sustainable domestic seafood.

These eeBLUE-funded projects partnered locally and nationally to test innovative approaches that connect science, tradition, and everyday experiences with aquaculture. These initiatives are meeting people where they are-at schools, libraries, kitchens, and online. They are informing a variety of audiences about the vital role of sustainable aquaculture in U.S. seafood production.

Serving Up the Local Flavors of Maine

Maine

The Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center created livestreamed, interactive cooking classes. The classes connected audiences to Maine aquaculture through recipes, farmer stories, and community conversations. They partnered with Maine Sea Grant , NOAA's Milford Lab , and local farmers and chefs. Each episode featured a chef preparing home-ready recipes alongside the farmer that provided the ingredients (oysters, mussels, kelp, or salmon). As they cooked, they discussed their practices, farm benefits, and career pathways.

"People engage with aquaculture primarily through eating food, so focusing on the product helps bridge the gap between unfamiliar practices and something delicious…our goal was to make seafood approachable at home, with recipes like salmon fritters and kelp puttanesca for all ages." - Sydney Avena, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center

Filmed at the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Kitchen, the series reached more than 1,500 live viewers and the recordings are available online. Partners also distributed recipe cards at public events. Audiences can now recreate dishes at home while learning about where their ingredients came from and what they mean to their community. The cooking demonstrations serve as a model for interactive, educational outreach linking food, farming, and community resilience.

Blog: From Sea Farm to Table: Farmers MAI-Kit Brings Aquaculture to Your Kitchen

Video: Farmers MAI-Kit

Shuck n' Hope for Our Future

Massachusetts

Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group created a suite of community programs and multimedia resources to bring aquaculture education to residents of all ages across Martha's Vineyard. Partnered with the West Tisbury Public Library , Honeysuckle Oysters , and NOAA liaison Zach Gordon , the team facilitated 63 aquaculture-focused lessons and events. They engaged participants of all ages in hands-on shucking and clamming lessons, touch tanks, and talks from eight local oyster farmers. The team also partnered with artists and filmmakers to create seven documentaries and accompanying resources to share aquaculture history, science, and local knowledge.

"We really wanted to include everybody. Those who grew up around [shellfish farms], those who have never learned about them before, really young kids all the way up to our older generations." - Nina Ferry Montanile, Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group, Inc.

The project gained visibility through a local magazine's cover feature, sparking new partnerships and broadening community engagement. As the Shellfish Group celebrates its 50th anniversary, their programs continue to strengthen local collaboration and foster learning and connections between community members and the aquaculture industry.

Blog: Shuck n' Hope for Our Future

Video: Expanding Social License for Public and Private Aquaculture on Martha's Vineyard

Expanding Classroom Resources for Teaching Aquaculture

National

The Aquaculture in Agriculture project updated and expanded resources to help teachers effectively integrate aquaculture into their classrooms. Maryland Sea Grant led the project, building off of the educational resources of their successful Aquaculture in Action program. They partnered with the National Council for Agricultural Education , University of Maryland Extension , Wisconsin Sea Grant , local schools, and industry partners. The team identified gaps in existing materials through teacher interviews and collaborative workshops at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology . The resources they created address previously unmet need: helping educators navigate logistics, facility requirements, and teaching strategies for hosting recirculating aquaculture systems in their classrooms.

"We discovered that teachers starting aquaculture programs often feel lost-not because resources don't exist, but because it's hard to know what works for their classroom." - Chris Flight, Maryland Sea Grant

The project produced a comprehensive classroom planning guide (PDF, 44 pages) for teachers. It offers best practices, system selection guidance, and checklists to simplify program implementation. The guide will soon be available through partner websites, professional development events, and the Aquaculture Information Exchange . The goal is to give educators the tools to teach students about aquaculture, seafood origins, and career pathways.

Blog: Bringing Aquaculture to Agriculture Classrooms

Video: Aquaculture in Agriculture

Developing and Piloting an Aquaculture Literacy Podcast in the Northeast

National

Get Aquacultured , a new limited-series podcast, is expanding aquaculture literacy and sharing engaging stories about seafood farming practices in the Northeast. University of New Hampshire Sea Grant and UNH Cooperative Extension recently launched the eight-episode series . Guests include farmers, aquaculture practitioners, and high school fellows, covering topics like seaweed, finfish, and lesser-known seafood species.

"We could not have gotten as far as we did without our partners. Oyster farmers, aquaculture practitioners, and basically all of our guests who took the time to come on our podcast." - Gabriela Bradt, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Each episode includes supplemental content sheets and online resources for accessibility and deeper learning. The team's research-driven approach ensured accurate, relevant information. Episodes will be available soon on major streaming platforms, providing listeners with insights into aquaculture practices, sustainable seafood, and career pathways.

Blog: Press Play and Get Aquacultured!

Video: Developing and Piloting an Aquaculture Podcast to Enhance Aquaculture Literacy

Out On the Farm in Yarmouth, Maine

Virtual Platform

Saltwater Classroom and Nauti Sisters Sea Farm launched Oyster Farm Pioneer, a learning badge for grades 3-6 on their online Ocean Literacy platform . Recognizing the need for more resources for teaching ocean topics, the project team worked with Maine Sea Grant to close knowledge gaps and bring learners everywhere onto the water and into the heart of sustainable shellfish production.

"Along the way, we also developed a framework for collaboration, showing what cooperative education projects can look like and how they add depth to learning resources." - Parker Richardson, Saltwater Classroom

Oyster Farm Pioneer features five lessons, integrating a virtual field trip to Nauti Sisters Sea Farm, a "Day in the Life" video of oyster farmers, and hands-on activities such as an oyster filter-feeding experiment. They also produced seven short films and educational graphics to enrich the experience. To access the platform and dive into aquaculture literacy, head to saltwaterclassroom.com and follow along @SaltwaterClassroom on Instagram for updates.

Extensive outreach brought these resources to classrooms in Portland, South Portland, and inland Maine communities that have limited access to ocean education. The project not only created lasting curriculum and multimedia resources, but is also a model for future collaborations, fostering both community engagement and workforce readiness.

Blog: Out on the Farm in Yarmouth, Maine

Video: Empowering Ocean Stewards: Restorative Aquaculture and Inclusive Oyster Farming Education