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Counting the Fish Catch – Why Don’t the Numbers Match?
Provided by: Science Journal for Kids |Published on: October 23, 2025
Scientific Reports
5678910
Synopsis
This report from Science Journal for Kids explains why official FAO fisheries data can underestimate global catches and how researchers used “catch reconstruction” to reveal higher historical peaks and faster recent declines in marine fish catch worldwide.
Students read the report, interpret a time-series graph, and watch a video to understand the problem the study is addressing and the methodology used in the study.
The report translates a high-impact Nature Communications study into middle-school-friendly language and includes a clear graph that supports data literacy practice.
The report connects human impacts, data quality, and resource management, prompting evidence-based discussion about sustainable fisheries and equity across regions.
Prerequisites
Students should know the basics of food webs, renewable vs. nonrenewable resources, and how to read line graphs.
Teachers will need to submit some information in order to access the teacher key.
Differentiation & Implementation
Before reading, preview vocabulary (artisanal, subsistence, discards, pelagic) and set a purpose. “How can missing data change what we think about fisheries?”
Have students annotate Figure 3, then use think-pair-share to answer. “Why might FAO trends look stable while reconstructed catches decline?”
To make connections to the Sustainable Development Goals, teachers can use this article to show how Goal 2, Zero Hunger, is related to Goal 14, Life Below Water.
High school students and advanced readers can read the article in the upper reading level or the original scientific report.
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About the Partner Provider
Science Journal for Kids
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