The fish scales of justice: the influence of perceived justice on social license to operate for aquaculture development

Cultivating seafood in water environments, global aquaculture production is on the rise. As the sector grows, however, so too do challenges in securing the necessary social license to operate (SLO): ongoing approval from various stakeholders. Previous research in both risk communication and SLO suggests that perceived justice plays a foundational role in establishing legitimacy and subsequent public acceptance and approval. Yet, gaps in our understanding of both justice and SLO – as well as the relationships between these concepts – remain. In this study, we approach SLO as a stage model, applying a four-factor model of justice (including interpersonal, procedural, distributive, and informational justice) to examine whether – and if so, how – justice factors and their associated rules may be differently salient at SLO stages among stakeholders associated with siting land-based recirculating aquaculture facilities in three U.S. communities. Results of qualitative in-depth interviews with stakeholders at each site (n = 55) demonstrate how various justice rules are distinctly embedded in certain SLO stages, and that such rules may function as stage shift factors, moving communities toward granting or withholding social license for these projects. Theoretical and practical implications of this research are presented.