There certainly was something fishy about our First Friday Webinar for April. For this episode, entitled, “Getting Fishy with It,” we were joined by two speakers with information and insights on the importance of fisheries policies and the role that aquariums, zoos and museums can play in ensuring that those polices remain strong and science-based.  A recording of the webinar can be found here and some highlights below.

• Jo Knight, Communications Advisor to the Marine Fish Conservation Network provided a succinct overview of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary fisheries law in the United States, with the latest news on a possible reauthorization, and some ideas on ensuring strong science-based policies going forward.
• Melanie Kudra, Education Engagement Specialist at the Texas State Aquarium, reflected on the aquarium’s recent and overwhelmingly positive experience engaging visitors on this issue, part of a successful effort with other aquariums, as also summarized here. That effort notably formed the foundation for a Guide to Effectively Engaging the Visiting Public in Fisheries Policy.
• And be sure to listen through to the Q&A at the end!

Building on what we’ve done with our partner aquarium and zoos, as well as organizations like MFCN, over the last several years, The Ocean Project is in the early stages of developing a new campaign to engage the public and inform policymakers for strong science-based fisheries management. If your zoo, aquarium, or museum is interested in participating, please contact us.

The next webinar in the series will be on Friday, May 7 with an anticipated focus on incorporating youth into your events and activities for World Ocean Day 2021.  Register now for that webinar, or go ahead and sign up for the full series.