Approximately 600,000 sea birds die each year by getting caught on hooks used in line fishing. Twenty-three species of sea birds facing extinction are vulnerable to these methods of fishing. A device called the Hookpod, invented by a UK company in Devon, has a clever solution to this problem. The fish hook is designed to reduce birds being caught on hooks, learn more about bycatch and the engineering of this device during our live 45-minute event, Friday, February 14th at 9 a.m. EST.

Approximately 600,000 sea birds die each year by getting caught on hooks used in line fishing. A device called the Hookpod, invented by a UK company in Devon, has a clever solution to this problem. The fish hook is covered by a case so birds cannot get hooked. At a certain depth (below the diving depth of indigenous birds) a mechanism is triggered to release the case which floats to the surface and is retrieved to be used again. These lesson ideas provide an interesting practical idea to use a particle model to explain density and pressure in a gas. Students will then take part in a STEM design challenge to make a device to respond to a pressure change at a particular depth of water.

Seafood serves as a primary source of food and protein for many people across the world, and the economies of many nations are heavily influenced by fish stocks and fisheries management. While efforts are in place to manage fisheries in many places around the world, there are still risks associated with fishing on a commercial scale. Many fishing vessels are equipped to target specific species of fish, for example, cod, but the large nets and trawls used for efficiency have a downside. This downside is called “bycatch”. Bycatch is defined as any non-targeted species that are brought in accidentally within the catch. In this lesson, students will use the engineering design process to create an alternative to modern fishing nets to try and reduce the amount of bycatch. They will also practice data collection and review.

Dr. Louise Firth is an ecological engineer. She designs habitats that help organisms thrive in man-made habitats, such as sea walls. Dr. Firth does not have a typical day, she can be found lecturing, during fieldwork, engineering habitats and more.

Dr. Abigail McQuatters-Gollop is an Associate professor of marine conservation at the University of Plymouth. She is also a plankton ecologist, she helps policymakers work with scientists in order to properly manage the ocean environment. Dr. McQuatters-Gollop combines her research with conservation and science communication to make a difference.

Loveday Trinick is a schools officer at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, England. Loveday educates the young people who visit the aquarium about our ocean planet. Learn more about the average day of a schools officer, including leading dissections and more.

Thomas Stamp is a marine biologist and Ph.D. student at the University of Plymouth. Tom studies how fish, specifically sea bass, move in and out of habitats during their life using acoustic telemetry. He uses this information to help fishermen and policymakers make educated choices on fishing.

Meet Deep Shah, a young man who lives outside London. Deep volunteers with the organization Action for Conservation and works to empower other young people to take action for the environment. Deep shares his work with Philippe, including his recent work on an oyster bed restoration project to help provide habitat for juvenile fish and other organisms in Hampton, England.

Meet Ella Turns, an 8-year-old from England. Ella has taken her favorite hobby, paddleboarding, and turned it into a way to keep her local waters clean. She cleans up marine debris, including fishing nets and ropes. Ella has also created a program where local businesses have eliminated their single-use waste, like plastic bags. She leads Phillipe on a paddleboard clean up in the bay.