Hatchery to Habitat

🎓 Audience

Education: Grade(s) 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Teacher(s)/Educator(s), Parent, Adult Learners, Homeschool/Family , Learning Pod; Public Library: Library Patrons, Library Staff

 🧬 Topics

Career & Technical Education (CTE), Economics/Business, Health & Physical Education, Industrial Technology, Professional Development, Science, STEM, Technology/Information Science

🗂️ Format

• Introduction and Overview: The program opens with an introduction to fisheries and aquaculture. Learners are invited to share what they already know about seafood, fish farming, and ocean sustainability, setting the stage for deeper exploration.

• Segment 1 - Aquaculture Basics: Learn the fundamentals of aquaculture, including Mote's recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Discover how these systems reduce environmental impacts while helping meet global seafood demand.

• Segment 2 - Mote's Research: Explore how Mote Marine Laboratory is advancing sustainable seafood production and replenishing wild fisheries. See how scientists raise native fish species in hatcheries and release them into natural habitats to enhance wild populations.

• Segment 3 - Sustainable Practices: Discuss the importance of sustainable practices in both aquaculture and wild fisheries. Learn how informed consumer choices can support ocean health and food security.

• Questions and Answers: Wrap up with a live Q&A session where learners can ask questions about fisheries, aquaculture, and sustainability—and connect directly with a Mote educator.

🎯 Objectives

1. Identify the different types of aquaculture systems and their environmental benefits.

2. Explore Mote Marine Laboratory's research efforts in sustainable seafood production and fisheries restoration.

3. Discuss the importance of sustainable practices in aquaculture and fisheries management.

4. Reflect on how they can make informed choices about sustainable seafood.

5. Discuss the impact of aquaculture on global food security and environmental conservation.

✏️ Standards this program supports

Next Generation Science Standards

• ESS2C 6–8 — The roles of water in Earth’s surface processes. Learners examine how aquatic habitats like estuaries, seagrass beds, and mangroves support fish development and how water flow, quality, and temperature affect fish survival and migration.

• ESS2C 9–12 — The roles of water in Earth’s surface processes. Learners explore how physical water conditions and environmental variability shape fish behavior, habitat use, and the design of hatchery release strategies to improve survival in natural systems.

• ESS3A 6–8 — Natural resources. Learners investigate how fish are a vital natural resource, and how aquaculture and fisheries science help meet global demand for seafood while conserving wild populations.

• ESS3A 9–12 — Natural resources. Learners assess the role of sustainable seafood production in ensuring food security, analyzing how aquaculture contributes to maintaining ecosystem services and economic stability.

• ESS3C 6–8 — Human impacts on Earth systems. Learners explore how overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution affect marine ecosystems and fish populations, and how hatchery-based restoration and conservation efforts aim to reduce these impacts.

• ESS3C 9–12 — Human impacts on Earth systems. Learners evaluate how scientific research informs fisheries management and restoration programs to mitigate human impacts on marine food webs, habitat integrity, and resource availability.

• ETS1B 6–8 — Developing possible solutions. Learners explore how scientists use engineering and design thinking to improve hatchery systems, monitor fish survival, and develop strategies for effective fish release and habitat restoration.

• ETS1B 9–12 — Developing possible solutions. Learners assess how innovations in aquaculture systems, tagging technology, and habitat modeling are used to address complex challenges in sustainable seafood production and ecosystem recovery.

• LS2C 6–8 — Ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and resilience. Learners investigate how young fish rely on specific habitats for survival, how ecosystems respond to fish stocking, and how balanced food webs contribute to ecological resilience.

• LS2C 9–12 — Ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and resilience. Learners evaluate how fish stocking and habitat restoration affect population dynamics and long-term ecosystem stability, using scientific evidence from monitoring programs and acoustic studies.

Ocean Literacy Principles

• • Ocean Literacy Principle #5 – The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.

  • Ocean Literacy Principle #6 – The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.

UN SDGs

• • 13 - Climate Action

  • 14 - Life Below Water

Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS)

• SC.7.E.6.6 – Identify the impact that humans have had on Earth, such as deforestation, urbanization, desertification, erosion, air and water quality, and changing the flow of water. Application: Learners explore how human activities like overfishing and habitat degradation affect fish populations, and how hatcheries and habitat restoration help mitigate those impacts.

• SC.7.L.16.4 – Recognize and explore how gene expression can be influenced by environmental factors such as light, temperature, or chemical exposure. Application: Learners examine how environmental conditions in hatcheries and natural habitats influence the growth, development, and survival of juvenile fish.

• SC.7.L.17.1 – Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in food webs. Application: Learners investigate the role of fish in estuarine and coastal food webs and how their survival supports overall ecosystem health and biodiversity.

• SC.7.L.17.2 – Compare and contrast adaptations of organisms in different ecosystems. Application: Learners compare the survival strategies of hatchery-raised fish versus wild fish, and how different habitats support different life stages of marine species.

• SC.7.L.17.3 – Describe and investigate various limiting factors in ecosystems and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites. Application: Learners analyze how access to quality nursery habitats and environmental stressors influence the success of fish released from hatcheries.

• SC.912.L.17.1 – Discuss the characteristics of populations, such as number of individuals, age structure, density, and pattern of distribution. Application: Learners explore how hatchery releases and stock enhancement programs aim to increase native fish populations and maintain ecological balance.

• SC.912.L.17.2 – Explain the general distribution of life in aquatic systems as a function of chemistry, geography, light, depth, salinity, and temperature. Application: Learners investigate how environmental conditions in estuaries, seagrass beds, and mangrove habitats influence fish development and distribution after release.

• SC.912.L.17.3 – Describe how interactions among organisms and the environment help shape ecosystems. Application: Learners assess how fish released into restored habitats affect ecosystem function and how hatchery practices are adapted to support ecological stability.

• SC.912.L.17.4 – Describe changes in ecosystems resulting from seasonal variations, climate change, and human activity. Application: Learners analyze how fish populations respond to environmental change, and how hatchery programs serve as tools for resilience and adaptation.

• SC.912.L.17.6 – Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism. Application: Learners consider how interactions like predation and competition affect fish survival post-release, and how habitat quality influences these relationships.

• SC.912.L.17.7 – Characterize the biotic and abiotic components that define freshwater systems, estuarine systems, and marine systems. Application: Learners explore the essential features of estuarine nursery habitats and how these components support juvenile fish during critical stages of development.

• SC.912.L.17.8 – Recognize the consequences of the loss of biodiversity due to catastrophic events, climate changes, human activity, and the introduction of invasive, non-native species. Application: Learners examine how fish hatcheries help rebuild fish stocks and maintain biodiversity in areas affected by human or environmental pressures.

• SC.912.L.17.13 – Discuss the need for adequate monitoring of environmental parameters when making policy decisions. Application: Learners investigate how Mote scientists monitor water quality and fish survival to inform fisheries management and responsible hatchery practices.

• SC.912.L.17.17 – Assess the effectiveness of innovative methods of protecting the environment. Application: Learners evaluate the use of hatcheries, habitat restoration, and release strategies as innovative tools to support sustainable fisheries and marine conservation.

• SC.912.L.17.20 – Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems. Application: Learners reflect on how their personal choices—such as eating sustainable seafood or supporting habitat conservation—affect ocean health and fish populations.

• acoustics: The science of sound, including how it is produced, transmitted, and received. In marine research, it often refers to using underwater sound to study fish behavior and habitat use.

• algorithm: A set of step-by-step instructions or rules used by computers to solve problems or perform tasks, such as identifying fish species in video data.

• ammonia: A nitrogen-based compound produced by fish waste and uneaten food in aquaculture systems. High levels can be toxic to fish and must be managed carefully.

• antibiotic resistance: The ability of bacteria to resist the effects of antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. Overuse of antibiotics in aquaculture can contribute to this problem.

• aquaculture: The cultivation of aquatic organisms, such as fish, shellfish, and seaweed, under controlled conditions.

• aquaponics: A system that combines fish farming with plant cultivation, where fish waste provides nutrients for plants, and plants help filter and clean the water for the fish.

• biosecurity: Procedures and practices used to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases and pests in aquaculture systems and natural environments.

• breeding: The process of mating selected animals to produce offspring, often used in hatcheries to maintain healthy fish populations or improve traits like growth and disease resistance.

• bycatch: Non-target species that are accidentally caught during fishing operations, often resulting in unintended harm or mortality to these species.

• catch limits: Regulations that set the maximum amount of fish that can be caught in a specific area and time period to prevent overfishing and ensure sustainable fish populations.

• commercial fishery: A fishing operation that targets fish and other aquatic species for sale and profit, often involving large-scale operations and industrial methods.

• conservation: The protection and management of natural resources, including wildlife and habitats, to ensure their sustainability for future generations.

• depredation: The act of a predator feeding on fish caught in fishing gear, often leading to damage to the catch or gear and reduced harvest for fishers.

• die off: A sudden and large-scale death of aquatic organisms, often caused by environmental stress, disease, or pollution.

• ecology: The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment, including the flow of energy and nutrients in ecosystems.

• electronic monitoring (EM): The use of cameras, sensors, and software on fishing vessels to collect independent data about catch, bycatch, and fishing activity.

• fish aggregating device (FAD): A man-made object used to attract fish, making them easier to catch. It can increase efficiency but may also affect fish behavior and sustainability.

• fish stock: A population of fish of a particular species that is managed as a unit for the purposes of fisheries management and conservation.

• fisheries management: The practice of regulating and overseeing fishery operations to ensure the sustainable use of fish stocks and the health of aquatic ecosystems.

• Florida red tide: A harmful algal bloom in Florida’s coastal waters caused by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, which can produce toxins harmful to marine life and humans.

• fry: Young fish that have recently hatched and are developing into juveniles.

• genotype: The genetic makeup of an organism, which determines its inherited traits and can influence its ability to survive environmental changes.

• harmful algal bloom (HAB): A rapid growth of algae that can produce toxins, reduce oxygen in the water, and harm marine life and humans.

• harvest: The process of collecting or catching fish and other aquatic organisms for consumption or sale.

• hatchery: A facility where fish eggs are incubated and hatched under controlled conditions, often used to support fish populations and restoration efforts.

• longline: A fishing method that uses a long main line with baited hooks spaced at intervals, often used in commercial fisheries.

• nursery: A habitat where juvenile fish grow and develop before moving to adult habitats. These areas offer protection and food.

• optimized retention: A strategy in fisheries management or aquaculture that aims to maximize the survival and growth of desirable species while minimizing waste and bycatch.

• otolith: A small bone in a fish’s inner ear used by scientists to determine the fish’s age, similar to counting tree rings.

• overfishing: The removal of fish from a population at a rate faster than they can reproduce, leading to population decline.

• passive integrated transponder (PIT tag): A small electronic tag implanted in a fish that allows researchers to track individual animals without harming them.

• probiotic: Beneficial bacteria added to aquaculture systems or fish diets to promote health and improve resistance to disease.

• recirculating aquaculture system (RAS): A type of aquaculture system that continuously recycles water, reducing the need for water exchange and minimizing environmental impact.

• recreational fishery: Fishing activities conducted for personal enjoyment rather than for commercial purposes, often regulated to ensure sustainability and protect fish populations.

• restoration: The process of restoring depleted or damaged fish populations or aquatic habitats to their natural, healthy conditions.

• site fidelity: The tendency of an animal to return to or remain in a particular area over time.

• snook: A popular game fish found in Florida’s coastal waters, often used in stock enhancement and habitat studies.

• spawn: The process of fish releasing eggs and sperm into the water for reproduction.

• stock enhancement: The practice of increasing fish populations through methods such as releasing hatchery-raised fish into natural habitats to boost depleted stocks and support fisheries.

• sustainable: Practices that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, often applied to environmental and resource management.

• sustainable seafood: Seafood that is harvested or farmed in ways that maintain or improve the health of marine ecosystems and ensure the long-term viability of fish populations.

• tagging: Attaching or implanting a physical or electronic marker on a fish to track its movement, growth, or behavior.

• trawling: A fishing method that involves dragging a large net through the water or along the seafloor to catch fish and other marine animals.

Play Career Bingo

Play virtual bingo using a computer, smartphone or tablet during your program to focus on key concepts and vocabulary.

• Online

• On paper/PDF

🌐 Websites

• Fisheries & Aquaculture

• Fisheries Ecology & Enhancement

• Fisheries Habitat Ecology & Acoustics

• Marine & Freshwater Aquaculture

• Center for Fisheries Electronic Monitoring at Mote (CFEMM)

• Aquaculture Facilities

📰 Mote News

• New snook-monitoring antenna will expand fisheries data for Phillippi Creek system

• New research microgrant helps sustain fisheries in the Gulf with bycatch map

• Read Mote News: fisheries or aquaculture

🖥️ Videos

• Mote Marine Laboratory Fisheries Programs

• Mote Marine Laboratory Aquaculture

• Mote Marine Laboratory releases juvenile snook in partnership with Riverview High School

• Mote Marine Laboratory Staff and Scientists Release Juvenile Snook

• Snook Release Sarasota Bay

• ChangingSeasTV: Super Grouper - Full Episode

• ChangingSeasTV: Farming the Sea - Full Episode