Year: 2023
Relevance
MASGC specialists possess valuable knowledge of fisheries-related topics. These specialists recognized a need to effectively communicate up-to-date, user-friendly information regarding fisheries management, fisheries science and sustainability to fishermen, teachers and fish enthusiasts in the north-central Gulf of Mexico region.
Response
In 2020, MASGC specialists wrote the book FISHES: Fishermen Invested in Science, Healthy Ecosystems, and Sustainability; in 2021, 2022 and 2023, they developed and taught the FISHES course. The book consists of 10 chapters, and the course includes five classroom sessions and one field excursion. Recreational and commercial fishermen, teachers and fish enthusiasts have completed the course. The specialists surveyed students from the 2021 and 2022 courses one year later to evaluate the course's impact.
Results
All course participants from 2021, 2022 and 2023 (12, 16 and 19; 47 total) reported increased knowledge of fisheries management, fisheries science and sustainability. Post-test scores increased each year (27%, 18% and 24%) compared to pre-test scores. Furthermore, five participants from 2021 and 10 from 2022 reported modifying their fishing practices (e.g., reporting fish tags, practicing catch-and-release, mitigating post-release mortality and increasing involvement in conservation organizations) as a result of knowledge gained from the course.
Recap
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) specialists wrote the "FISHES: Fishermen Invested in Science, Healthy Ecosystems, and Sustainability" book in 2020 and offered the FISHES course to 47 people between 2021 and 2023. (2021-2023)