Increasing consumption of farmed fish can improve one’s diet while reducing the over $17 billion U.S. seafood trade deficit. But typically, consumers are not sure how to prepare seafood and are not familiar with locally farmed fish or even aquaculture at all. Add to that, producers don’t have a good understanding of how to market to consumers.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is educating consumers and creating opportunities for them to connect with local aquaculture producers through the Eat Midwest Fish website. The website’s “Fish Finder” map, with 40 businesses, now has a searchable function to easily find local fish farmers in the Great Lakes region. In addition, the website is stocked with videos, publications, recipes, a fish guide, and information about nutrition and safety.

We have successfully reached a growing number of consumers through Eat Midwest Fish. In 2024 the website had 24,000 new users and over 35,000 page views. Cumulatively and altogether, the website’s videos, which include cleaning, preparing, and cooking demonstrations, the Local Farmers, Local Fish series that highlights local aquaculture producers, and others that feature farmers, were viewed over 230,000 times.