There are lots of fish in the sea but not as many as there used to be because people have been taking too many fish and not putting enough back. If  we keep on taking too many fish and not putting them back, one day there will be no fish left at all and some types of fish will be gone forever and ever. When a type of fish or animal is gone forever, it is called being EXTINCT and it can never be brought back ever again. This is why we must put some fish back, especially baby fish. Catching fish and putting them back so they can swim away is called CATCH AND RELEASE. It is ok to take some fish home for dinner and it is ok for fishing boats to catch fish so we can buy them in the shops but it is VERY important that we do not take too many from the sea. Caring for fish and animals and nature is called CONSERVATION.

 

Fish Conservation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrew (left) caught this small whiting and put it back in the sea so it can grow up. Sarah (right ) caught this beautiful flounder which she put back in the sea and watched it swim away. This is called Catch And Release and is VERY important.

 

 

 

 

 

Dolphin
Seal

 

Sea Otter
As well as fish there are also many animals in the sea like the ones above and most of them need to eat fish so it is important for them too that we make sure that there will always be fish in the sea. If we catch too many fish and not put any back, animals like seals, dolphins and otters will die too and maybe even become extinct. This is why it is so important to put ALL undersized fish back in the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is important that we have fishing boats like the one on the left so that we can buy fish from the shops for our dinner but it is even more important that they do not catch too many fish, or one day there will be none left. When fishing boats are told how many fish they can catch, it is called quotas. It is important to have quotas or too many fish would be caught and there would be none left for dolphins, seals, otters AND US!

 

We are very lucky to have fish in the sea and it would be very very sad if we caught too many until there were none left.

Here is how YOU can help!

If you catch undersized fish (baby fish) put them back in the sea and enjoy watching them swim away.

If you catch lots of BIG fish, take home only what you need for dinner, and let the ones that you do not need swim away so that they can breed more fish in the sea.

Be gentle with fish that you are going to put back in the sea. Fish are easily hurt and will die if handled roughly.

Do not leave hooks and line on the beach as these catch fish again when the tide comes in when there is nobody there to take them off the hook so they die.

If you meet somebody who does not know why it is important to not take too many fish out of the sea, tell them why we should not take too many fish. Tell them that if we catch too many there will be no fish at all one day and then animals like dolphins and seals will die as well.

Do a project on marine conservation at school to make teachers and other children aware.