4 July 2008
Media Statement

Starfish teaches students about sustainable fisheries

Ensuring New Zealand’s fisheries are sustainable into the future is the key message behind a new teacher and student resource kit launched by Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton today.

Starfish has been developed by the Ministry of Fisheries and aims to teach young New Zealanders the role that they can play in making sure there are enough fish for the future.

The resource was launched today at Manning Intermediate School in Christchurch and has been sent to 1300 schools throughout the country.

“Starfish is a fantastic resource for teaching young people about the importance of managing our fisheries and oceans and making sure there will be enough fish in our waters in the future,” Jim Anderton said.

“Teaching the future generations to understand the importance of fishing rules and regulations is the key to ensuring sustainable fisheries into the future.

“This is about making sure that when these young people here today are my age they will still be able to enjoy healthy fisheries”.

The resource has been developed for teachers of students in years 7 to 10 (age 11 – 14) and contains 14 fact sheets, teacher’s resource booklets and additional activities.

The fact sheets explore the importance of balancing rights, roles and responsibilities and the need to contribute to quality and sustainability. They also explain the role of kaitiaki—the guardians of New Zealand’s natural resources.

Students also learn about the economic role of our fisheries, how they are managed and the impact of humans on marine and coastal communities.

The resource provides students with Social Sciences, Science and English learning experiences at levels 3, 4 and 5 of the New Zealand Curriculum framework.

An online version of Starfish, with includes additional features and activities, is also available on the Ministry of Fisheries website http://www.fish.govt.nz

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