You are invited to participate in a web-based online survey to help understand consumer perceptions of farmed freshwater fish and innovations to help improve the sustainability of production practices.

You have been invited to participate because you are an adult consumer who may or may not choose to eat farmed freshwater fish. This survey is part of a research project being conducted by a consortium of European organisations supported by the European Union. This survey is being led by Dr Richard Newton, a member of staff at the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling. It should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The questions are mostly multiple choice, but you are given the opportunity at the end to add any further comments in your own words.

Please read through information about how we use your response data before agreeing to participate below.

Do I have to take part?

No. Your participation in this survey is voluntary. You may refuse to take part in the research or exit the survey at any time without penalty by closing the browser. You are free to decline to answer any particular question for any reason – In some cases we have included a ‘prefer not to say’ option.

Are there any potential risks in taking part?

There are no foreseeable risks involved in participating in this survey

Are there any benefits in taking part?

There will be no direct benefit to you from taking part in this research, but it could lead to better fish products in the future.

Legal basis for processing personal data

No personal data is collected in this survey.

What happens to the data I provide?

Your answers will be completely anonymous and neither your IP address nor any other identifying data will be collected by the researchers. The data that we collect from you may be transferred to, and stored or processed at, a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA) by participating in this survey, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing.

Will the research be published?

The research will be published in a report that will in due course by published on the website www.projectsafe.eu. The results may also be published in an academic journal or other academic works or be presented at an academic conference. Links such publications will also be provided on the SAFE project website.

The University of Stirling is also committed to making the outputs of research publicly accessible and supports this commitment through our online open access repository STORRE. Unless funder/publisher requirements prevent us, this research will be publicly disseminated through our open access repository.

Who is organising and funding the research?

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) are funding the University of Stirling activities in the SAFE research project with the European Union supporting the partners located in EU Member States.

Who has reviewed this research project?

The ethical approaches of this project have been approved via The University of Stirling General University Ethics Panel, Reference GUEP 2025 13885 16776.

Whom do I contact if I have concerns about this study or I wish to complain?

If you would like to discuss the research with someone or obtain further information about the project you can send an e-mail to Dr Richard Newton (richard.newton@stir.ac.uk). In case of any complaint you may contact the Head of the Institute of Aquaculture, Professor Simon Mackenzie (Simon.mackenzie@stir.ac.uk).