Canadians enjoy seafood, just not that often, according to an Angus Reid poll conducted for Dalhousie University.The study's findings were released by the university’s Agri-Food Analytics lab in recognition of National Seafood Month in October. Researchers found that seafood, including fish, is part of Canadian monthly diets for 86.7% of respondents. Their primary reason to eat seafood is nutrition (64%), not affordability (21%).British Columbians (45.8%) are most likely to eat fish or seafood each week. In contrast, Quebec has the lowest weekly consumption at 27.2%. Only Ontario (2.4%) and British Columbia (2.3%) had respondents with daily seafood consumption.The research found a generational divide on how seafood is cooked. Younger Canadians, including Millennials (56.9%) and Gen Z (58.4%), place a higher emphasis on preparation and cooking methods when deciding to purchase seafood for home cooking. This was less important to Gen Xers (47.6%), Boomers (45.7%), and the Greatest Generation (45.8%).Frozen seafood is the most popular choice for home consumption, perhaps due to convenience. An impressive 49.2% of Gen Z respondents opt for frozen seafood, compared to 39.1% of Gen X respondents. While fresh seafood remains popular, with 31.5% of Gen X preparing it at home, the percentage drops to 16.9% for Gen Z and 16.7% for the Greatest Generation.Canadians prefer wild seafood to that which is farmed. British Columbians lead this preference with 67.9%, followed by the Atlantic provinces at 54.2%, the Prairies at 49.7%, Ontario at 47.8%, and finally Quebec at 43.4%. Notably, Quebec was the only province where a majority (52%) expressed no preference for wild seafood.Farmed seafood was perceived as a sustainable method by only 35.6% of those making less than $35,000. Those with household incomes exceeding $150,000 showed the highest agreement at 53.3%, followed by the $35,000-$74,999 bracket at 50.2%, and the $75,000-$149,000 bracket at 48.6%.When asked whether they would be willing to pay more for certified sustainable seafood, the study found that 40% of respondents expressed their willingness, compared to 24.2% who disagreed. Notably, women were more inclined to do so (47.2%) than men (32.6%).Most respondents (54%) considered the environment and climate change as important factors when making food choices, especially those aged 18-29 (60%). Most Canadians preferred to buy seafood that was caught or farmed in Canada (74%).Half of respondents said that they regarded how humanely their seafood was treated (how it was raised or caught or handled), but more women (59%) than men (43%) cared.The representative survey of 987 Canadians was conducted in the Summer of 2023 by Angus Reid. The margin of error: +/- 3.2%, 19 times out of 20.The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University conducts research on various aspects of the food supply chain, offering data-driven solutions to inform industry stakeholders and policymakers in food and agriculture sectors.
