The Future is Blue: Q&A with Jennifer Bushman on Fed By Blue’s Journey to Sustainable Food Solutions

Jennifer Bushman is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Multiplier project Fed By Blue. We sat down with Jennifer, a sustainable seafood expert, communicator, and strategist who has been championing ethical aquaculture for over two decades, to discuss Fed By Blue’s journey, the importance of blue foods, and how real behavior change happens.

Q: Where did Fed By Blue’s journey begin?

A: Fed By Blue was founded out of an urgent need to create awareness around responsibly sourced foods from water. Right now, 3.2 billion people worldwide rely on aquatic foods for part of their daily nutrition. However, most discussions about future food solutions focus on land-based agriculture. We want to change that narrative and ensure that foods from water earn a seat at the table in conversations about sustainability and food security.

Fed By Blue was officially founded on stage at South by Southwest, alongside its founding partners. We all came together with a shared concern: while land-based food solutions get a lot of attention, there wasn’t nearly enough focus on the role that blue foods could play in feeding the world responsibly.

Q: Why are you so passionate about blue foods?

A: Everyone involved in Fed By Blue has a deep, personal connection to water and sustainable food. For me personally, my grandfather was a third-generation rancher in Colorado, and I have vivid memories of catching and cooking fresh rainbow trout with him. That experience shaped my appreciation for freshwater food sources.

Jennifer Bushman standing on the blue carpet alongside Hope in the Water docuseries cast and crew during its premiere

Q: Thinking about the Fed By Blue journey, what moment stands out to you?

A: One moment that really stuck with me was when I was standing on the blue carpet at the premiere for our PBS docuseries Hope in the Water, surrounded by so many passionate advocates for blue foods. It was a powerful reminder of how interconnected our work is—the “chain of well-being” that links responsible sourcing, healthy ecosystems, and the people who rely on these foods. That visual representation of our mission, and the energy in the room, reinforced just how much momentum we have to drive real change.

Q: When it comes to changing behavior, what have you learned about what actually works?

A: One of the biggest insights we’ve gained is that documentaries and awareness campaigns alone don’t change consumptive behavior. People might watch a moving documentary like My Octopus Teacher and feel deeply inspired, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into action.

When we pitched our three-part documentary series Hope in the Water to major studios like Netflix, Apple, and Nat Geo, we were told that impact was measured in views and social media engagement. But that wasn’t enough for us. We needed to think beyond traditional media and focus on tangible actions that shift the way people buy, eat, and advocate for blue foods.

Q: What strategies are you using to drive real behavior change?

A: We realized that education, accessibility, and policy need to go hand in hand. Fed By Blue is working on:

1. Integrating Blue Foods into Everyday Diets: We collaborate with chefs, restaurants, and retailers to make responsibly sourced seafood and marine foods more available and desirable.
2. Supporting Policy Changes: While we are not a policy organization, we highlight the importance things such as marine protected areas, and proper management of wild fisheries and regenerative aquaculture through our consumer awareness efforts.
3. Community Engagement: We work with fishermen, farmers, and local food networks to help scale sustainable blue food solutions and share success stories that resonate with consumers.
4. Impact-Driven Storytelling: Instead of just raising awareness, we create action-oriented campaigns that encourage people to make small but meaningful changes in their diets and food choices.

Q: If you could leave readers with one key takeaway, what would it be?

A: We have to rethink the way we view food from water. Blue foods are not just an alternative—they’re an essential part of our future food system. If we want to build a sustainable, food-secure world, we need to start valuing and integrating responsibly sourced seafood, freshwater fish, and marine plants into our diets. It’s about making small, conscious choices that collectively drive a massive impact.

To learn more about Fed By Blue and their work, visit FedByBlue.org.