Exploring consumers' acceptance of fish escape events from aquaculture: A structural equation modelling approach

This paper examines consumers' attitudes towards managing fish escapes from aquaculture facilities. Understanding how consumers perceive this issue significantly affects businesses, markets, and the environment. To this end, 1000 surveys were carried out in two Spanish Mediterranean provinces (Alicante and Murcia). With the information gathered, we develop a structural equation model to link their perception of environmental risks, aquaculture, and fish escape management. We identify a significant positive relationship between the perception of environmental threats and the acceptance of aquaculture towards fish escapes and between opinions about environmental threats and this sector. Based on these findings, we recommend improving communication, information and traceability systems to control the potential confounding of farmed and wild fish in the market. In addition, we call for more significant intervention by public administrations in managing these events and mitigating their consequences so that consumer confidence and the economic sustainability of the sector are not affected. • The perception of aquaculture positively influences the perception of fish escapes. • The perception of environment threats positively influences the one of fish escapes • Information, labelling, fraud and control are key indicators for escapes management