Class: Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1 / SSS 1)
Term: Second Term
Week: 7
Age: 15 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Fisheries
Curriculum Theme: Trade
Previous Lesson: Methods Of Capture Fishery: Baskets And Traps and Impaling Method.
Topic: Methods of capture fishery
Subject Matter: Electro-fishing, Ultrasonic method, Trawlers, Safety and environmental issues

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

List modern methods of capture fishery.
Explain the principles of electro-fishing, ultrasonic method, and trawling.
Mention safety concerns in capture fishery.
Discuss environmental issues associated with modern capture fishery methods.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the importance of environmentally friendly fishing practices.
Participate actively in discussions about sustainable fishing.

Psychomotor Domain:

Identify images or diagrams of electro-fishing equipment, sonar, and trawlers.
Illustrate simple safety measures for fishing activities.

Collaborate with peers to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different capture methods.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum for Senior Secondary Schools
State Unified Scheme of Work for Fisheries (SSS 1)
Essential Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Pictures or models of a trawler boat
Diagrams or pictures of sonar equipment
Images of warning signs for electricity
Pictures or videos showing fish on water surface (e.g., stunned fish)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand various modern methods used to catch fish on a large scale. It enables them to identify the risks involved and discuss how these methods affect both the environment and human safety. This understanding is important for responsible fishery management.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have some basic knowledge of traditional fishing methods and the importance of fish as food.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Methods of Capture Fishery

Electro-fishing

Electro-fishing is a method of catching fish using electric current. It involves passing an electric current through water to stun fish, causing them to float to the surface where they can be easily collected. This method is often used for sampling fish populations in freshwater bodies.

Ultrasonic Method

The ultrasonic method, also known as sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging), uses sound waves to detect fish schools underwater. A transducer sends out sound waves which bounce off fish and return to the receiver, creating an image on a screen that helps fishermen locate and target fish.

Trawling

Trawling is a fishing method that involves pulling a large fishing net (trawl) through the water behind one or more boats (trawlers). Trawls can be designed to catch fish either on the seabed (bottom trawling) or in the midwater (midwater trawling).

Safety and Environmental Issues in Capture Fishery

Modern capture fishery methods, while efficient, present several safety and environmental challenges.

The following are safety and environmental issues:

Safety Hazards: Electro-fishing poses risks of electric shock to operators if not handled properly. Trawling operations can be dangerous due to heavy machinery and adverse weather conditions.
Bycatch: Trawling, especially bottom trawling, often catches non-target species (bycatch) such as marine mammals, turtles, and other fish. This bycatch is often discarded, leading to waste and harm to marine ecosystems.
Habitat Destruction: Bottom trawling can severely damage seabed habitats, including coral reefs and seagrass beds, which are important breeding grounds and shelters for many marine species.
Overfishing: Efficient modern methods can lead to overfishing, depleting fish stocks faster than they can replenish, which threatens the long-term sustainability of fisheries.
Pollution: Fishing vessels contribute to marine pollution through fuel emissions, discarded gear, and waste.
Ghost Fishing: Lost or discarded fishing gear, particularly nets, can continue to “ghost fish” for many years, trapping and killing marine life indiscriminately.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and reviews the previous lesson briefly. The teacher then asks pupils to mention some traditional ways of catching fish. After their responses, the teacher introduces the topic “Methods of Capture Fishery” and states the learning objectives.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, recall previous lessons, and listen attentively to the new topic and objectives.
Learning Point: Pupils connect previous knowledge to the new topic and understand what they will learn.

Step 2: Explanation of Electro-fishing

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains electro-fishing, its principle (stunning fish with electric current), and how fish are collected. The teacher uses pictures of electro-fishing equipment and warning signs for electricity to illustrate the explanation, also mentioning safety precautions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the instructional materials, ask questions for clarification, and take notes.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept and basic operation of electro-fishing.

Step 3: Explanation of Ultrasonic Method

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aids
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the ultrasonic method (sonar) for detecting fish schools. The teacher describes how sound waves are used to locate fish underwater and shows diagrams or pictures of sonar equipment.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the diagrams, and ask questions about how sonar works.
Learning Point: Pupils understand how the ultrasonic method helps in locating fish.

Step 4: Explanation of Trawling

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains trawling, describing it as pulling a large net behind a boat. The teacher differentiates between bottom trawling and midwater trawling and uses pictures or models of a trawler boat and its net to illustrate the method.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the visuals, and understand the mechanism of trawling.
Learning Point: Pupils understand trawling as a large-scale fishing method.

Step 5: Discussion of Safety and Environmental Issues

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on the safety concerns associated with these modern methods (e.g., electric shock, heavy machinery) and the environmental issues (e.g., bycatch, habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution). The teacher encourages pupils to contribute their thoughts.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the discussion, share their ideas, and take notes on the key safety and environmental challenges.
Learning Point: Pupils become aware of the risks and environmental impact of modern capture fishery methods.

Step 6: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

List three modern methods of capture fishery.
Briefly explain how electro-fishing works.
Mention two safety concerns in capture fishery.
State two environmental issues associated with modern fishing methods.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 7: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the main points of the lesson, emphasizing the efficiency and challenges of modern capture fishery methods. The teacher assigns homework, asking pupils to research sustainable fishing practices.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary, copy the homework assignment, and prepare for the next lesson.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding and are encouraged to learn more about sustainable practices.

Lesson Keywords

Electro-fishing – A method of catching fish using electric current to stun them.
Ultrasonic method – A technique (sonar) that uses sound waves to detect fish underwater.
Trawling – A fishing method involving dragging a large net (trawl) through the water behind a boat.
Bycatch – Non-target fish or marine animals caught unintentionally during fishing operations.
Overfishing – Catching fish at a rate faster than they can reproduce, leading to stock depletion.

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, the teacher can ask them to research specific types of trawls or advanced sonar technologies. For pupils who need more support, the teacher will provide simplified diagrams and allow for peer-assisted learning during discussions.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Ensure that the visual aids are clear and relevant to help pupils understand the technical aspects of each fishing method. Emphasize the importance of responsible fishing to protect marine ecosystems. Encourage active participation during the discussion on safety and environmental issues.