Beyond production: understanding aquaculture narratives, public engagement, and visibility on TikTok and Instagram

Public acceptance and societal trust are increasingly recognized as critical challenges for sustainable aquaculture development. While previous research has examined consumer perceptions and social acceptance, limited attention has been given to how aquaculture narratives are constructed, circulated, and gain visibility within contemporary digital media environments. This study examines how thematic patterns, sentiment, audience engagement, and narrative construction shape aquaculture communication on TikTok and Instagram. Using a mixed-method approach integrating computational analysis, machine learning, and qualitative framing analysis, aquaculture-related posts were examined to understand patterns of representation, interaction, and narrative visibility. Industry and Production content represented the most prevalent thematic category but did not consistently generate the highest audience engagement, indicating that visibility was not determined by content prevalence alone. Although represented by only a small number of posts, Animal Welfare content showed comparatively high engagement; this finding should be interpreted cautiously. Qualitative framing analysis revealed that highly visible aquaculture content extended beyond technical production narratives, positioning the sector through broader frames related to sustainability solutions, transparency, innovation, livelihoods, commercial opportunities, and societal concerns. The findings demonstrate that digital aquaculture visibility is shaped by how issues are framed and connected to wider public values. This study highlights the importance of narrative construction and platform-specific engagement dynamics for sustainable aquaculture communication.