Title : Nutritional intake of blue foods in rural Maine
Abstract:
Blue food (seafood) production is interwoven into discourses about the Blue Economy as evident by high-level policy initiatives to increase wild capture fisheries and aquaculture efforts in the United States and worldwide. These initiatives often emphasize the nutritional benefits of blue foods and their potential to address food insecurity and chronic health issues associated with poor diet. Yet limited attention has been devoted to the specific mechanisms that mediate seafood consumption. Recognizing this gap, this research utilizes data from a household survey conducted in eastern Maine, one of the most rural, marine resource- dependent, coastal regions in the nation, to examine the role that fishing privileges play in shaping patterns of blue food consumption. Here, we discuss the preliminary results of the study, implications for a region with high food insecurity rates, and how these findings can inform efforts to strengthen the Blue Economy while advancing nutrition security.
