Circular economy in aquaculture: the perspectives of aspiring future operators

Purpose – This study investigates the views of Italian aquaculture production science students, in their role of future operators, on the application of circular economy strategies. Design/methodology/approach – A key step in the development of professional knowledge is to solicit the opinions of the future operators in the aquaculture sector. The authors used the Q methodology to assess the perceptions of the students on four different knowledge dimensions of the CE: operations, culture and organization, products and services, and ecosystem. Findings – Four discourses emerge from the results, representing the respondents’ views on the CE. The first discourse considers CE as business strategy applicable to products and services, the second a corporate mission and the fourth an operational efficiency strategy. Finally, the third discourse views CE as a multidimensional concept. Research limitations/implications – This study contributes to the scientific and institutional debate on how to accelerate the aquaculture’s circular transition. First and foremost, it offers insights to guide policy makers in the development of appropriate knowledge and information systems. Second, it offers the opportunity to improve training programmes to enable current students to be prepared for the future challenges. Originality/value – The results reflect a different perceived knowledge of CE among future operators, whose opinions are little explored in the literature.