United Nations Sustainable Development
Goal 14: Life below water
Overfishing (community outreach). Offer educational outreach activities for local or national communities to raise awareness about overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices. Free, paid.
UniSC offers educational outreach activities for local or national communities to raise awareness about overfishing, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and destructive fishing practices is crucial for the preservation of marine ecosystems. These initiatives can provide valuable information on the negative impacts of overfishing and IUU fishing on fish populations, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of coastal communities. By educating communities about sustainable fishing practices and the importance of regulatory compliance, these programs help foster a culture of conservation and responsible resource management. Engaging local stakeholders in these efforts not only enhances their understanding but also empowers them to take active roles in protecting their marine environments, ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of fisheries.
UniSC offers Bachelor, Masters and PhD educational programmes on the management and conservation ecosystems for national communities. The paid educational programmes include aquaculture, environmental science and climate change adaption.
UniSC has developed a 4 week “Life below Water” course that is free for those interested in gaining a greater understanding of Life below Water. Topics include destructive fishing practices, exploring the human impact on underwater biodiversity, ecosystems, and animals, and solutions for preserving life below water. The course also examines how human behaviour exacerbates overfishing, climate change, and the effects that climate change has on underwater fauna and flora.
UniSC staff are often asked to be invited speakers at other universities and conferences to share their expert opinion and research along with UniSC-wide events like National Science Week. These educational outreach activities raise awareness on overfishing at local and national levels.
UniSC collaborates with local communities to educate and partner to solve complex challenges facing our environment.
Citizen science in action - Working together, we improve, maintain and preserve our shared land and aquatic ecosystems.
Coastal monitoring through Coast4D is a next-generation citizen science program involves the community and artificial intelligence to make 3D models of the beach to better understand and plan for erosion and changes to the beach ecosystem, dune vegetation and turtle nesting.
Seaweed restoration and farming for aquatic healthis championed by UniSC's Seaweed Research Group, engages the local community and partners to help restore lost underwater forests and repair damaged ecosystems.
Protecting endangered wildlife is a priority for UniSC researchers. With community support, we are making progress in the fight to save endangered species including manta rays, sea turtles, koalas and many more IUCN Red Listed animals.
Summary
UniSC’s educational outreach activities on overfishing, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and destructive fishing practices raise community awareness and promote sustainable marine resource management.