Circular aquaculture: Unpacking views from farm to fork

The aquaculture sector holds strong potential to become a driving force in the blue transformation journey. As the push for sustainability intensifies, future development increasingly points toward models grounded in circular economy principles. However, the adoption of such models remains limited, hindered by the evolving nature of European aquaculture policy and the absence of a clear and consolidated vision of relevant strategies. Advancing circularity in aquaculture calls for a systemic rethinking of production and consumption models, supported by inclusive governance and multi-actor engagement. This study examines the perception of the most urgent circular strategies for advancing the blue transition of Italian aquaculture, providing the first multi-stakeholder analysis from “Farm to Fork”. The multicriteria approach enabled the construction of a shared yet differentiated hierarchy of strategies by integrating perspectives from across the value chain, including those of researchers, producers, policy and governance actors, and citizens. The findings revealed areas of alignment as well as divergence, illustrating how circularity is variously conceptualized and could be operationalized across the Italian aquaculture sector. Ensuring that blue policies effectively guide the transition towards more sustainable aquaculture models requires the establishment of a knowledge and innovation system capable of translating circular economy principles into socially accepted and context-sensitive actions. • Producers, Research, Policy actors, and Society prioritized key circular strategies. • Divergences risk undermining the success of the sustainable transition of aquaculture. • The social dimension is crucial to balance values and practices in the transition.