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The California Aquaculture Association is proud to share a series of perspectives from intern, Briana (Bri) Le, a fourth-year Aquatic Biology major and Professional Writing minor at UC Santa Barbara. Follow along as Bri explores the vital role of aquaculture for both consumption and conservation in her series “Bri’s Outlook on Aquaculture”.

Tinned fish is enjoyed by many, some more than others. For my grandmother, it was just another meal. She would open a can of sardines packed in tomato sauce, pour out the contents into a small skillet, and heat it on low. She ate the warm sardines with a small cup of white rice and moved on with her day. It was simple and filling. For her generation, tinned fish was appreciated for its affordability, high protein content, and long shelf life. It was and still is an ideal food item for the home pantry.

Today, the sentiment towards tinned fish has changed in terms of design and price. Canned fish is still a pantry staple for many, but it has shifted from a budget-friendly food to a high-cost delicacy. If you were to walk into a specialty grocery store, you’d likely see a section of tinned seafood nicely arranged. Most tins are packaged in small boxes with visually appealing designs, often sustainably labeled. The average price on most tins ranges from $6 to $10. If you were to look at more gourmet options, the price can easily exceed $20. For the cost of one 4-oz gourmet fish tin, you could get a whole fresh fish from a fish market for less.

How did we get here? A few factors could have contributed to this. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people could not leave their homes due to the mandated quarantine. Grocery runs became strategic as people paid more attention to what they purchased and consumed. People also had more free time, which was often spent online, scrolling through social media. This shelf-stable and delicious item became cherished by a new audience. From short-form content of people enjoying elaborate charcuterie boards featuring tinned fish, to brands marketing their products in ways that appeal to a younger audience, its rise in popularity was inevitable.

Sustainability also influenced this movement. Individuals are now more aware of how their choices affect the Earth, influencing their desire to make sustainable choices whenever feasible. Tinned fish are highly regarded as a sustainable source of seafood. Eating smaller forage fish, such as sardines, anchovies, and mackerel, is a smart seafood choice. They have a low carbon footprint, have low mercury levels, and are highly nutritious. Consumers can feel good about their purchase, knowing that they made a sustainable and healthy choice.

That’s not to say all tinned fish are created equal. Some of the high prices are justified due to the labor-intensive process of packing fish into small cans. Each fish is handled with care and is carefully selected for quality before being sold to consumers. Also, importing European brands that take pride in their artisanal tinned fish production will be expensive regardless of the strategies they use.

Effective marketing has also driven up the costs. These cans are perceived as exclusive due to their luxury packaging and advertising, increasing costs without adding more fish. When the price difference between two products is influenced by the label design and advertisement, it’s worth taking a moment to think whether the price is justified for what you’re buying. The high costs also create an accessibility issue, where people who once relied on tinned fish are now unable to afford them. Affordable canned fish still exist, but the cultural conversation regarding tinned fish now centers on wealthier consumers rather than those who actually depend on them for sustenance.

That said, aquaculture can be part of this conversation. An increasing number of brands are packing farmed species, such as mussels, oysters, and salmon, in their cans. Farmed shellfish are an ideal source of sustainable tinned seafood; they’re hand-raised in controlled environments with an eco-friendly approach. For California aquaculture producers, the growing tinned fish market represents an opportunity worth exploring.

California has a small yet committed aquaculture industry, taking pride in farming a variety of species from oysters to trout. These premium, sustainably-raised products are exactly what the tinned fish market wants. For instance, a tin of California farm-raised oysters can take space on the same shelves as expensive imported European tins. With a shorter supply chain, these California tins can have a more affordable price point. Buying locally-sourced California tinned seafood can benefit both consumers and producers. The infrastructure and appetite both exist; it’s just a matter of California producers being able to sell their products in a tin format.

Tinned fish will most likely continue to have a market for its convenience and versatility. How long the current premium association of tinned fish will last is a different question. Trends change as people move on with their interests. What was gourmet today may not be tomorrow.

The can itself was never the problem, and my grandmother can attest to that. A good and simple tin of fish is still one of the more humble meals you can have. If California aquaculture can find its footing in this market by supplying locally farmed seafood, all the better.

The trend may be new. The tin is not.

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About the Author

Briana (Bri) Le is a fourth-year Aquatic Biology major and Professional Writing minor at UC Santa Barbara, where she focuses on the Science Communication Track. A first-generation college student and Vietnamese-American, Bri is a member of the McNair and FUERTE fellowships, programs dedicated to helping students from underrepresented backgrounds develop research and professional skills. Her background includes studying the thermal tolerance of juvenile giant kelp under Dr. Halley Froehlich and completing a hands-on internship at The Cultured Abalone Farm in Santa Barbara, where she gained practical experience in land-based farm operations.

Driven by a passion for ‘practical science’, Bri aims to bridge the gap between complex marine research and public understanding. She views aquaculture as a cornerstone of global food security and environmental conservation, yet recognizes that it remains widely misunderstood. Through her work with the California Aquaculture Association, Bri uses her communication skills to demystify the industry and promote diversity, striving to make the field more accessible and inclusive for people of all backgrounds.