Teach Engineering: Caught in the Net

Bycatch can be defined as the act of unintentionally catching certain living creatures using fishing gear. A bycatched species is distinguished from a target species (the animal the gear is intended to catch) because it is not sold or used. In this lesson, students will first be shown pictures of entangled marine animals and will discuss the definition of bycatch. This will lead to discussions on why bycatching exists, how it impacts specific animals as well as humans, whether the students believe it is an important issue, and how bycatch can be reduced.