Environmental Sustainability of the Aquaculture Industry in Malaysia from the Perspective of Consumers

Consumer perception, awareness, and acceptance are important aspects affecting the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. In Malaysia, poor planning, inadequate regulation, consumer apathy, and uncontrolled development in this industry have resulted in environmental degradation and unsustainability. This paper aims to examine environmental sustainability of the aquaculture industry and its products from the aspects of consumer perception, awareness, and education. The methodology uses a questionnaire survey of a stratified sample followed by random sampling of respondents. Results showed that consumers’ level of awareness and understanding of aquaculture products are poor. Most consumers perceive that aquaculture products are safe and are generally unaware of the major quality issues affecting the products. Consumption of aquaculture products is on a rising trend as the most influential variables affecting consumers’ choice of aquaculture products are price, convenience, and freshness. Results also show that most consumers generally feel that the quality of aquaculture products is good and are unaware that the industry might have negative effects on human health and the environment. Low awareness and poor understanding of the industry and its products, together with consumer apathy, lead to a lack of pressures on aquaculture operators to move toward better environmental standards, safer products, and sustainability. In conclusion, it is recommended that public education for consumers is necessary to enhance consumer awareness and understanding leading to better informed and educated consumers who can then exert pressures on aquaculture operators to adopt sustainable practices and ensure quality products, leading to sustainable aquaculture practices and products.