A Needs Assessment of Fisheries Education Materials for Youth

Abstract

Many kindergarten (K) through twelfth grade fisheries education materials exist but have not been inventoried or reviewed to determine whether they meet the needs of fisheries professionals and educators. To identify instructional resources and guide curriculum developers, the Youth Education Committee of the American Fisheries Society Education Section (1) developed a fisheries education framework of 8 issues and 55 concepts, (2) identified and selected appropriate youth fisheries education materials, (3) reviewed the content of 51 materials based on the frame‐ work, (4) summarized results in a user‐friendly guide, and (5) developed recommendations to fill gaps in information. Coverage of biodiversity (Issue 3) and some of the concepts associated with building sustainable fisheries (Issue 4) and promoting stewardship (Issue 6, 7) appear especially limited. Materials that target students in kindergarten to third grade and ninth‐ to twelfth‐grade levels, that focus on global or marine fisheries, and that provide multicultural perspectives also are needed. Recommendations include revising or developing fisheries education materials based on our framework, using results from this assessment to avoid duplication, and developing partnerships to improve fisheries education materials for youth.