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Help your students appreciate the importance of the earth’s fisheries resources. World Fisheries Day draws attention to overfishing, habitat destruction and other serious threats to the sustainability of aquatic as well as human life. 

Through participation in experiential learning activities and action projects on this special day, young people can be encouraged to contribute to the health of aquatic ecosystems and the quality of life they support.

Why Care about Fisheries?

• Fisheries and aquaculture employ more than 43 million individuals worldwide.
• More than 25% of the world’s dietary protein is provided by fish.
• The human population consumes over 100 million metric tons of fish annually
• Each year the Canadian fishery lands over 1 million metric tons of fish valued in excess of 2 billion dollars.
• Globally, annual fisheries exports are valued at 85 to 90 billion dollars.
• A recent United Nations study reported that more than two-thirds of the world's fisheries have collapsed or are overfished.Much of the remaining one third is in a state of decline because of habitat degradation from pollution and global warming.
• The largest Northern Cod fishery in the world was located off the coast of Newfoundland.This engine of the Newfoundland economy collapsed in the early 1990’s due to overfishing and poor fisheries management. Ten years later Newfoundland’s cod fishery remains closed.
• Escalating amounts of point and non-point pollution continue to threaten water quality and fish habitat
• All natural fish stocks today contain at least trace amounts of mercury.
  

Resources for Rethinking encourages students and teachers to participate in World Fisheries Day and offers the above R4R Top Picks classrrom resources, as well as the following suggestions to support your efforts.

Other Resources

• Learn about how fish resources are being depleted at: The End of the LineYou can also watch the related documentary.
• Check out the Step Outside Project from r4r.ca  and learn about one of Canada’s best known and highly valued fish species in its late September nature guide Spectacular Salmon Struggle.

For more information and activities be sure to check out the World Fisheries Day website.