Protecting the Marine Environment

A range of gear and methods are used in commercial fishing.  Every type of gear has some effect on the ocean environment.  However, if carefully managed, virtually all gear types can be used responsibly and sustainably. 

Focus Questions:

What different methods are used to catch fish?

What type of fish are caught and in what habitat?

What new words and concepts have we learnt?

Learning outcomes:

Identify one or more fishing methods; the type of fish they might catch and from which habitat

Investigate how one or more fishing methods impact on marine habitats and non target species

Materials:

Fishing Methods SLIDE SET

Fishing Methods Teacher OUTLINE

Copies of Fishing method WORKSHEET

Something to write with

Internet access (for film clips)

Copies of pre-cut Fishing Method CARDS

Activities include:

CONSIDER fishing methods you have used. Have you ever caught a marine animal that you didn’t mean to catch? What happened? How did you feel?

READ and ANSWER questions about fishing methods using the Fishing method WORKSHEET

WATCH short film clips illustrating different methods

PLAY the Tricky Trawling Game

TEST knowledge and MATCH fishing method descriptions with picture of fishing gear and habitat/species caught cards

Bycatch happens when fish or other marine species are caught by accident, such as turtles, sharks and dolphins. Bycatch species are caught by mistake while trying to catch another type of fish. They are different from the target species (the animal the gear is intended to catch) because they are not sold or used.  Habitat damage occurs when the method of fishing negatively impacts the habitat of the target species.

Focus Questions:

How can fishing impact habitat and non-target species (do these impacts need to be minimised to receive a MSC Blue Fish Tick?)?

What impact do different fishing methods have on marine habitats and non-target species? 

Learning Outcomes:

Understand that fishing can impact habitat and non target species (and understand that these impacts must be minimised for fisheries to receive the MSC Blue Fish Tick)

Investigate how one or more fishing methods impact on marine habitats and non-target species

Identify how fishing methods can be modified or new methods created to reduce bycatch and impacts on habitats

Use scientific and fishery related vocabulary

Materials:

Environmental Impact SLIDE SET

Environmental impact OUTLINE

Something to write with

Internet access (for film clips)

Bycatch in a bucket materials – see Bycatch in a bucket activity

Bycatch FIELD TRIP activity

Activities include:

EXPLORE effects of fishing on the marine environment (habitat & endangered species)

WATCH a short film about marine habitat and species protection

WATCH a short film about bycatch

INVESTIGATE the relationship between bycatch and different fishing methods

EXPERIENCE the difficulty of catching target fish using Bycatch in a bucket and/or undertaking the Bycatch FIELD TRIP

CREATE your own Bycatch game using Scratch

Tāiko or Black Petrel are endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. They are a vulnerable protected species of seabird that sometimes get caught as bycatch.

Focus Questions:

How are Tāiko (Black Petrel) impacted by fishing?

What impact do different fishing methods have on marine habitats and non-target species?

Learning Outcomes:

Describe how Tāiko (Black Petrel) can be impacted by fishing

Investigate how one or more fishing methods impact on marine habitats and non target species

Use scientific and fishery related vocabulary

Materials:

Slide set: Tāiko Black Petrel as bycatch

Bycatch Black Petrel OUTLINE

Copies of Tāiko Black Petrel Worksheet (one per buddy pair)

Something to write with

Coloured ribbons, a timer, clipboard and pencil

Graphing programme

Internet connection (for film clips)

Activities include:

EXPLORE the ecology and migration path of Black Petrel

WATCH a short film about the ecology and migration of Black Petrels

WATCH a short film about commercial fishers from Moana New Zealand helping to look after the Black Petrel

INVESTIGATE Tāiko bycatch data

Complete the Tāiko Black Petrel Worksheet

EXPERIMENT to see how successfully colourful ribbons deter birds

GRAPH and investigate Tāiko Black Petrel Data

DISCUSS the effectiveness of tori lines (ribbons) keeping birds away (on land and at sea)!

WATCH young ocean explorers encounter with Tāiko and False Killer Whales

Innovation is a big part of the current culture of Aotearoa New Zealand’s fishing industry. Recently a new fishing method, the Tiaki Precision Seafood Harvesting (PSH) Method was developed.  This new method reduces bycatch and brings fish to the surface, and on board, in better condition than is possible with many conventional forms of fishing. 

Focus Questions:

What impact do different fishing methods have on marine habitats and non target species?

How can fishing methods be modified and new fishing methods created to reduce bycatch and impacts on habitats?

What new words and concepts have we learnt?

Learning Outcomes:

Investigate how one or more fishing methods impact on marine habitats and non target species

Identify how fishing methods can be modified or new methods created to reduce bycatch and impacts on habitats

Use scientific and fishery related vocabulary

Materials:

Minimising Impact SLIDE SET

Minimising Impacts Teacher OUTLINE

Internet access (for film clips)

Beating Bird Bycatch story

Activities include:

WATCH a short Seafood New Zealand film about Innovation

INVESTIGATE the new improved sustainable fishing method Tiaki Precision Seafood Harvesting (PSH)

WATCH short films illustrating how this fishing method works

EXPLORE how the Marine Stewardship Council helps reduce bycatch and READ the Beating Bird Bycatch story

Review key learning from this topic.

Focus Questions:

What new words and concepts have we learnt?

Learning Outcomes:

Use scientific and fisheries related vocabulary

Materials:

REVIEW FISHERY MGMT SLIDE SET

Minimising Impacts & Review Teacher OUTLINE

Copies of worksheet Write a story

Activities include:

WRITE a script for Marine Stewardship Council booklet using the worksheet Write a story

REVIEW what we learnt and explore what more we would like to learn