Impacts Of Covid-19 On U.S. Aquaculture, Aquaponics, And Allied Businesses: Quarter 1 Results (March 23 2020 To April 10, 2020 Survey)

The coronavirus (COVID-19) disease pandemic has disrupted the lives and livelihoods of everyone on our planet. As governments around the globe implemented measures to protect the health and safety of their populations, there were multiple ripple effects that reverberated throughout all sectors of our economy. The aquaculture and aquaponics sectors were also amongst those affected by the impacts of COVID-19. The implementation of “social distancing” policies, restaurant dine-in prohibitions, and stay-at-home orders across the U.S. has translated into a disruption of market channels for aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses. It was estimated that 68% of all seafood consumed in the U.S. is consumed at food service establishments(NOAA, 2018). As a result of the lost market channels, businesses have experienced a loss of revenue, interruptions in cash flow, challenges with production, challenges with labor, and more. In order to address the challenges faced by the industry, a study was launched to assess the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on U.S. aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses. This study was a collaborative effort between Virginia Tech and The Ohio State University Extension, prompted by contacts with producers raising their concerns and attempting to identify resources that could aid their businesses. This fact sheet summarizes the first quarter survey results from this study, covering the survey period from March 23rd to April 10th, 2020.