WebQuest

Overfishing and the Seafood Dilemma

Process

Follow these instructions carefully and you will discover much about the fishing industry, inform others of your findings, work collaboratively with others to create a creative Power Point that successfully includes all the criteria on the evaluation form, and finally, evaluate different points of view and recognize possible reasoning behind that view.

Instructions

1. Get yourselves into groups of 4 that meet teacher approval.
2. Choose one of the issues surrounding the Seafood Consumption and Overfishing Dilemma. All issues will need a team to work on. If more than one team wants to do the same issue, problem solve among yourselves to make sure that all the issues are covered. (You will need to open or save or print out a copy of the Issues Document Attachment at the bottom of this page.)
3. Within your team of 4, decide who will defend each piece of the Seafood Consumption and Overfishing Dilemma. When you choose your puzzle piece you will be “looking out for their interests” or “seeing it through their eyes.”

Puzzle Pieces

Seafood – This is the puzzle piece that is being consumed or affected through fishing practices.
Fishermen – This part of the puzzle are the commercial fishermen who make their livelihoods through providing seafood to us.
Environmentalist – This puzzle piece looks after the ocean, seas, and waterways to make sure they have a bright future.
Consumer – This puzzle piece reflects the demand for seafood. While I know that you want to practice conservation, remember that the consumer reflects worldwide demand and not all countries are as conservation oriented.

4. As you investigate and gather information on your topic, each puzzle piece should ask the following question, “Is this information good for me and why?” Example – Let’s suppose that you are looking into a particular aquaculture method. This method may be good for the fish because this farming method removes predators, but it could be bad since it loses its ability to swim freely. This method might be bad news for the fisherman since the demand for this fish is being met through farming. The environmentalist may not like this method either because it has pollution attached to it. The consumer is thrilled since this particular fish is readily available and cheaper than wild caught. Within your group discuss and gather information related to each puzzle piece and viewpoint.
5. Use the internet resource links on this page (or download and save the resource document attachment below) to discover how and what you will inform the rest of the class of your findings and represent your puzzle piece through a creative group Power Point.
6. Questions given on the Issues document are worthy of investigation, but you are in charge of what you believe is worth sharing with the class especially since you have to defend a viewpoint and puzzle piece. Decide and evaluate as you visit each website for information that will be useful in creating your Power Point.
7. Remember this is a group effort and no one person can defend each viewpoint. As differing opinions arise as to the best way to complete this task, work out differences as you each look at the importance of ideas shared and ultimately the viewpoint being expressed by your teammate. Views can be expressed but not all views agree with our own individual set of values and experiences.
8. Since this is a group effort, each of you is expected to participate in the creation and presentation of the Power Point. Practice what you want to say as slides of the power point are being shared. Reading to us from each slide is not engaging. Your presentation will hopefully spark some questions from classmates so be prepared to have some Q and A. following your presentation. You will be given a maximum of 10 minutes to give your presentation.
9. When your group has finished creating the Power Point, let the teacher know.

Use this list of internet resources as you complete your task for The Seafood Consumption and Overfishing Dilemma.

Generally Helpful Websites and those that overlap into different issues

Sustainable Fisheries - MarineBio.org

Overfishing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Blue Ocean Institute

Overfishing - A global environmental problem, threat and disaster.

WWF - Problems: Poorly managed fishing

Oceana - North America

Overfishing Overview (Status of Situation)

Ocean Conservancy: Overfishing Scorecard

NDJA - Seafood - Industry - Seafood Harvest

The Starving Ocean