The Teen LEADER Activity Station located across from Stingray Bay in the Fresno Chaffee Zoo is always bustling with Teen LEADER volunteers, children and adults interacting and ready to learn. One of our most popular games is entitled "Fishing Time" and has a very important message. Kids are simply invited to “go fishing” in a clear container filled with sand and plastic sea creatures as well as foam seaweed, sea shells, and magnetized fish. There are two methods to try; the hook and line, which uses a small, magnetized fishing pole that only attracts fish, vs. the trawling method, which uses a small net drug through the bottom of the tank catching all manner of sea life “by catch,” making trawling the poor alternative method due to its heavy impact on species that are unintentionally harvested and then tossed away.
Teen LEADERS then introduce adult spectators to the Seafood Watch program, designed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium to rate the health and environmental impact of various seafood choices. Adults are offered a hand pocket guide listing which fish are the best choices based on the environmentally-friendly ways that they are caught or raised. This activity builds awareness of the negative impacts of some fishing methods and teaches smart alternatives to keep our oceans clean and plentiful by minimizing choices that create the most harmful effects on ocean health. The empowerment to make a difference and the knowledge that both adults and children take away from this activity is valuable in more ways than one. Come and check out this activity and the other fun, educational games that the Activity Station has to offer. Hope to see you here soon!
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