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Hi Jennifer,
The majority of Ireland would associate agriculture and farming together, but then have little to no knowledge of what aquaculture is. Both are essential aspects to Ireland’s food production. And as you mentioned, the benefits to rural areas is significant and stretches out to support many indirect businesses.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for your feedback on the ARC as a resources for schools. The interactive aspect of the ARC is probably the biggest draw to students as it gets them thinking about their own community and what resources are there supporting people in their local area. The flexibility of the ARC means it can cover various subjects in the STEM stream!
Hi Sarah,
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed Module 1 – Introduction to aquaculture! Galway Bay is ripe with opportunities for aquaculture and in places like Kinvara, aquaculture still plays a major role in the local economy. The location of research institutes in Galway help to make it very accessible to continue learning abut marine life and why Galway showcases a wide degree of jobs relating to the marine sector.
The tourism sector and aquaculture have worked hand in hand with the Taste the Atlantic – A seafood journey initiative which follows the Wild Atlantic Way, showcasing Ireland’s best sights alongside some of our best known seafood producers. This is just another aspect of Ireland’s high quality seafood industry being able to boost local economies on the more rural, Atlantic west coast. And success in aquaculture production may mean less production or landings based pressures for fisheries and agriculture.
Hi Triona,
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed Module 1 – Introduction to Aquaculture. The understanding of what social license activities are, is important to children as it will encourage them to seek out their own information regarding the topic and they will be able to integrate that knowledge in their community or school.
Hi Laura,
I’m delighted that you have found the resources in Module 1 – Introduction to aquaculture so useful! The nutrition of seafood resource is especially useful in the classroom for teaching children the benefits of seafood and how eating it can help maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
If you would like to register your school for a visit please visit this link: https://bim.ie/a-seafood-way-of-life/the-arc/registration-form/
Hi Odhran,
We have to be careful not to over-use or deplete our natural resources, although once they can be used in a sustainable manner, people can get the benefits of the resources today while ensuring future generations have the same use of the resource. Farming our mussels and oysters in particular keeps our coastal waters clean while still providing a food source. Pressures in fisheries and agriculture will make aquaculture a more attractive working sector as it continues to strive towards sustainability, and hopefully other industries follow suit!
Hi Robert,
These are great ideas for integrating the lessons int the classroom! Getting the students to think first about what the seafood is, where it’s come from and what has tasted similar before, is a great way to normalise to the students eating a variety of seafood. And then after the nutritional information given to them will help them decide which is the best for their own balanced diets.
Hi Grainne,
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the content in Module 3 – Socioeconomic Importance of Aquaculture. Many people picture someone working in the marine industry as a fishermen with wetgear, braving difficult conditions. While this may still be true in arts of fisheries, there are so many other possibilities available – from fish farmers to net makers and even accountants – these jobs are all required in the marine sector.
Hi Harry,
Animal conservation is one we find gets the most discussion during our ARC workshops! We may ask if anyone knows any animals in the world (or in Ireland) that are endangered currently, and this usually gets a lot of answers as most children know that the charismatic animals in the world are mainly endangered or threatened. This may be a good starting point in the classroom as it raises the issues of what’s causing them to be endangered.
Hi Rhonda,
This is an excellent idea for getting your students in the mindset of sustainability, having them meet and assist the various local groups like TidyTowns! Being involved in the Green Flag initiative is another good way to encourage your students to be sustainable, and one which will overall benefit the school’s sustainability as well. This will promote their critical thinking and problem solving skills and would be of massive benefit later on in life.
Hi Eleanor,
Glad to hear you enjoyed Module 4 – Nutrition of Seafood! Over the last year of travelling with the ARC, we have noticed an increase in how many schools receive hot lunches. This is a great programmes for getting children to eat a variety of meals to get all their nutrition, and to ensure healthy eating and healthy food relationships are taking place within the school. Using the packaging on the hot lunches, students can compare and contrast the nutritional benefits of their meals.
Hi Rhonda,
Our coastal waters are definitely improving with the addition of mussels and oysters along our coastline, but we still have a lot of work to do to get them to a pristine conditions as other factors are playing a role in their condition. That’s a very good point as well! Because people will have to travel to these rural destinations, they will spend money on services in the locality promoting other businesses as well.
Hi Orla,
Landscape is a major determining factor for farming, even when considering farming certain animals compared to others. When the landscape is too harsh, aquaculture may be the referred option and coastal communities see the benefit of this with two thousand direct jobs being provided by the sector. And it is not just the direct workers benefitting, as many others will indirectly be supported in their employment.
Hi Naomi,
Its great to hear your students being so interested in Ireland’s marine life, especially considering they don’t live in a seaside area. People don’t realise the variety of work involved in aquaculture and the wider marine sector as well. This may range from lab scientists, marine engineers, fish farmers, to innovation and technology development!
If you would like the ARC to visit your school, you can find the registration link for an ARC visit here: https://bim.ie/a-seafood-way-of-life/the-arc/registration-form/
