Where Have All the Blue Crabs Gone? What can be done to save the blue crab population in Tampa Bay?

Background Blue crabs are an important part of the Tampa Bay Estuary as both predators and prey. The problem is that they are also valuable to so many different groups of people that the fishery is in danger of collapsing!

Task Each group will be assigned one of the following roles: Commercial Fishermen, Recreational Fishermen, Restaurant Owners, Environmentalists, Biologists or Biological Supply Collectors. Your particular group will be given an Interest Group Role Card. It will describe how the interest group you are a part of is affected by the decline in blue crabs. Your task will be to come up with solutions to the problem, and then present those solutions at the 2018 Blue Crab Summit.

Remember! All of the interest groups share a common goal: to save the blue crab fishery from collapse. How that goal should be accomplished is where the differences will arise.

Arthropod 1-Pager Due Monday!!

Types of Symmetry

Words to Know: What is the role of a: Fishery Collapse Interest Group Recreational Fishermen Commercial Fishermen Environmentalists Biologists Biological Supply Collectors Restaurant Owners

Important Vocabulary Fishery: The industry devoted to the catching, processing, or selling of fish, shellfish, or other aquatic animals   Collapse: To fall apart; When you can no longer catch a particular type of animal because there are so few of them left in the ocean More are removed from the population than are being added by birth Interest Group: A group of people who work together to support a particular cause   

Recreational Fisherman (Sport Fisherman): Fishing for fun; You release what you catch back in the ocean or keep it for yourself (you do not sell it for money) Commercial Fisherman: Fishing is your job; You go fishing in a large boat and sell what you catch for money Environmentalist: Someone who is very passionate about the environment Biologist: Someone who studies or conducts research on blue crabs Biological Supply Collector: Someone who works for a company that collects specimens needed by schools K-College level and research facilities. Restaurant Owners: Buys and then sells blue crab on menu  

Task The 2018 Blue Crab Summit is upon us! Each interest group will present their solutions to the problem in the form of a Power Point Presentation and group poster. After each interest group has had a chance to share their point of view and suggest possible solutions, the entire panel (consisting of all the interest groups) will come together to discuss what should be done.

Rubric Give each group 1 copy

Research Questions (Must be typed & in Complete Sentences) What exactly IS the problem with the blue crab fishery? How would your interest group be affected if the blue crab fishery did not exist? What makes blue crabs so special? Explain 3 facts about blue crabs that you did not know before you began your research.   Why is the presence of blue crabs in the ocean so important? Give specific examples. What solutions can your interest group suggest to help solve the problem of a declining blue crab fishery? Be sure to explain your solutions thoroughly.

Blue Crab Summit 2018 After hearing all of the possible solutions and getting the answers to your questions, generate a new solution that stays true to your interest group yet incorporates the opinions of the other groups Write it on an index card

Conclusion The Tragedy of the Commons The depletion of a resource by individuals acting according to self-interest, despite their understanding that depleting the common resource is contrary to the group's long-term best interests *Youtube

Discussion Question What comparisons can you make between the video clip and the solution you came up with today?