key: cord-0816074-72pm0iga
authors: van Senten, Jonathan; Smith, Matthew A.; Engle, Carole R.
title: Impacts of COVID‐19 on U.S. aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses
date: 2020-06-24
journal: J World Aquac Soc
DOI: 10.1111/jwas.12715
sha: 8290b6ad100509818748f225e53b81c1c010e6a1
doc_id: 816074
cord_uid: 72pm0iga

nan

First quarter survey respondents indicated that they had experienced challenges with a variety of production inputs, goods, or services that were essential to the operation of their business. Many noted challenges in obtaining necessary production inputs, such as feed or seed. Respondents also noted challenges because of a lack of important services, such as repair and maintenance for infrastructure and equipment. Some reported challenges in obtaining diagnostic or testing services. Nearly half of responding farms indicated that they expected to experience further production challenges in 2020 because of COVID-19 (van Senten, Smith, and Engle 2020) . Producers also noted that holding market-ready products would interfere with their ability to prepare or start the production of future crops, implying future interruptions in the availability of product and cash flow for the farm. While the specific challenges faced by respondents varied across the different species groups and marketing channels, it is clear that the shutdown of other businesses (deemed nonessential) in response to COVID-19 has had, and will continue to have, an impact on aquaculture producers. Loss of employment in other sectors of the U.S. economy, such as retail and manufacturing, may also result in different consumption patterns amongst consumers that may affect U.S. aquaculture producers in the future.

While there are a multitude of specific challenges because of the highly diversified nature of the U.S. aquaculture industry, these three areas have emerged as common thematic issues for respondents of the first quarter survey.

When the survey was launched on March 23rd, there had not yet been an official announcement of federal or state support programs for U.S. aquaculture producers and small businesses. Survey participants were asked about existing programs or measures that could help their businesses survive the current challenges, but the majority of respondents (77%) did not respond to this question (van Senten, Smith, and Engle 2020). Respondents indicated that, without some form of external intervention, their farms or businesses would struggle to survive. Only a third of respondents (34%) indicated that their farm or business could survive 3 months without external intervention, with 50% of respondents stating they would not survive 12 months without external intervention (van Senten, Smith, and Engle 2020). As this study is ongoing, we will assess the impacts of the relief programs and support measures that have been announced in future iterations of the survey. Given all that we have learned from the first quarter impacts of COVID-19 on the U.S. aquaculture industry, we believe it safe to conclude that there will be longer-term effects for the industry. Based on the implementation of similar measures and policies in response to COVID-19 in other countries, we would encourage other researchers and extension specialists around the world to perform similar impact assessments for their aquaculture sectors. The data collected from such endeavors may not only be helpful in the immediate term to the industry seeking additional support or aid but could be of value in the future when assessing vulnerabilities and opportunities for adaptation and mitigation to improve the resiliency of aquaculture to global pandemics and other interruptions to traditional market channels. 

Fisheries of the United States

Impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses: Quarter 1 results. Virginia cooperative extension factsheet. AAEC-218

Columbus, Ohio, USA 3 Engle-Stone Aquatic$ LLC, Adjunct faculty, Virginia Seafood AREC, Virginia Tech University, Hampton, Virginia, USA Email: cengle8523@gmail.com