Activity 5: Ghost nets

What are ghost nets? Explore the impacts of ghost nets using a Google search. There is plenty of information available.

Activity 6: Consumer choices

AMCS says: “As informed seafood shoppers we Australians can direct what seafood is caught, how it is caught or farmed and determine where it comes from."

Explore this statement with your class. Do they think that by making informed choices, we can all make a difference? Widen this debate from seafood to explore other sustainable options – use the supply and demand idea to promote their thinking about consumer choice. Use the ‘Consuming Planet Earth’ resource book for teachers to help with this idea:

http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256F2B00224F55/page/Publications-By+Audience-%3e+Consuming+Planet+Earth?OpenDocument&1=80-Publications~&2=950-By+Audience~&3=185-%3e+Consuming+Planet+Earth~

Activity 7: Maths using fish

Get your state/territory size limits from your state/territory Department of Fisheries. Use it to practice measuring with young students (using fish cutouts or shells; some molluscs have minimum size limits) or to create a question sheet for older students. E.g. what is the minimum size for king george whiting? How many snapper can you take home? What is the maximum size for Murray cod? (NB: Some states designate size limits for freshwater as well as marine fish. Not all fish have maximum sizes.) Use this exercise to explore the idea of size limits and why they are provided.

Activity 8: Aquaculture

Get your students to pick a species of seafood that is grown using an aquaculture technique. Get them to explore the technique: is it grown in sea cages? Is it grown on land in tanks? Do they feed the species anti-biotics, colourings, or other artificial chemicals? Is the industry regulated? If so, how? What are the environmental impacts of various aquaculture techniques? Do your students believe it is important to know whether seafood they buy has been produced using aquaculture techniques? There are plenty of websites with information about aquaculture.