Fisheries Management

Class Description:

Fisheries Management is an aquatic ecology class. After investigating the habitat needs of stream fish, students visit the Sawmill Creek field stations where they will make a working stream model, identify aquatic invertebrates and fish for trout and other fish.

Total time: 3 hours (two hours outdoors)
Audience: 6-20 students, 4th grade through adult
Activity level: strenuous
Travel: 1 1/4 mile
Total uphill travel: 320 feet

Outcomes

Upon completion of the Stream Study class students will be able to:

Evaluate a population graph for carrying capacity, predator/prey relationships and habitat health.

Compare and contrast stream and lake environments as they relate to habitat for aquatic life.

Identify at least two aquatic invertebrates and describe their roles in the food chain.

Bait hooks and angle for fish using catch and release techniques.

Identify at least two different species of fish.

Minnesota Graduation Standards

The Fisheries Management class will provide students with guided practice, in an authentic setting, to support the following Graduations Standards. We have chosen one to three “major focus” standards per grade level. Due to the holistic nature of environmental education, several other standards, not listed here, are addressed as well.

Task Management Skills: Perseverance, Teamwork, Resource Management, Safety.

• H.S. Sciences: Environmental Systems, E.
• H.S. Resource Management: Natural and Managed Systems, (A, D, F.)

• 6-8th Sciences: Living Systems, (, 3)

4-5th Sciences: Living and Non-Living Systems, A1, 3, 4, B1, 2, 4)

4-5th Mathematics: Chance and Data Handling, (4)

Wolf Ridge Curriculum Concepts

• The carrying capacity of a habitat is determined by availability of food, water, air, shelter, and space.
• Extreme disease, predation, weather or habitat loss can reduce populations below carrying capacity.
• Energy flows from one organism to another in a complex food web.
• Renewable resources must be used at a sustainable level to remain available.
• Awareness, knowledge and appreciation lead to an understanding of our impact.
  

Classroom Connections*

• Journal page download
• Pre-visit activities
• Post-visit activities
• Links to Fisheries Management information and activities on the web

*requires Wolf Ridge password