IUU and the law (Secondary) - Lesson Three

• Social Studies
• History
• +3
• 7th,8th Grade

Introduction

Lesson Three – What are the risks to consumers? This lesson discusses the risk to consumers of eating fish and what their purchase may be supporting. Learning activities:  Discussion and research activities on what fish can be found at local markets, identifying the source and potential risks to consumers.

Instructions

Time: 45 minutes

Contact: [e-mail]
© Sea Shepherd 2022

Lesson 3 - What are the risks to consumers?

This lesson is provided by Sea Shepherd.  Sea Shepherd was founded in 1977 and is a marine conservation organisation working to protect the oceans and marine wildlife.  Sea Shepherd works globally on a range of issues impacting the oceans, running numerous direct action campaigns each year. 

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Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Is fish a healthier choice?

One of the main reasons for overfishing and IUU activity is consumer demand, as a result of growing human populations and increasing popularity.
Fish has become a popular source of protein, marketed as a healthier choice.
But is it a better choice?  
Ask students: “Do you think it is a healthier choice? If so, why?”

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Does where fish are caught make a difference?

We assume that fish must be healthy because it comes from the ocean.
But we also know that the ocean ecosystem is being impacted by pollution, in a number of forms. This includes chemicals and plastic pollution.
We know that pollution has found its way into every ocean. Discuss with students:
    How do we know whether the fish we eat is not contaminated?
    Can you always identify where the fish has been caught?
    Why does illegal fishing make this more difficult?

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Fish are eating plastic

Each year over 12 million tonnes of plastic pollution find their way into the ocean. The growing amount of plastic is finding its way into the food chain of many species, which means fish are eating plastic.

Discuss with students:
    How can we identify if there is plastic in the fish?
    What are other potential side effects of fish eating plastic?

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Can tuna really be dolphin safe?

We previously discussed the issue of by-catch.  This has been an ongoing issue, which was first brought to the public’s attention when tuna seiners were caught trapping whole pods of dolphins in their nets together with tuna.  They wouldn’t release the dolphins until the tuna was brought in, often resulting in the deaths of most, if not all of the dolphins.
To stop this, ‘dolphin safe’ labelling and standards were introduced in the early 1990’s in the USA. This was meant to indicate that tuna nets were not set near dolphins.  However, the monitoring of this requirement is difficult without observers onboard every fishing vessel.  This means that fishing vessels could still be catching dolphins but not reporting them, so they can meet the ‘dolphin safe’ standard.
But as we discussed by-catch is not just dolphins, it also includes whales, sharks, seals, sea turtles, rays and many other species.

During Operation Albacore in Gabon, in August 2021, Sea Shepherd documented a fishing vessel with two humpback whales trapped in the net. Despite calls to the vessel, they refused to stop hauling in their net. This practice is illegal in Gabon. These whales were eventually released and survived, but many others do not.
Show this video (1.02min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxzSZFbfF0U

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

How do you know what species are you eating?

Ask students: “How do you know what species of fish you are eating?”
We rely on the correct labelling of fish at markets or supermarkets.  But how do we know that what we are getting is actually the right species?

www.seashepherdglobal.org

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LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Refer Lesson Guide for activity suggestions.