Sea and Japan Project Public Relations Office
We held a 3-day “Okayama Satoumi Creation Research Group – What it means to create a rich ocean” for elementary school students to learn about the “sustainable” and rich ocean!
August 1st (Thursday), 5th (Monday) to 6th (Tuesday), 2024 [Location] Kasaoka City
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The Sea and Japan Project in Okayama, a general incorporated association, will hold an ocean learning event for elementary school students in Okayama for three days, August 1st (Thursday), August 5th (Monday), and August 6th (Tuesday). ~What it means to create a rich ocean~” was held.
This event is part of the Nippon Foundation’s “Ocean and Japan Project,” which connects people through the ocean in order to pass on the rich and beautiful ocean to the next generation.
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2809/resize/d77920-2809-47845a89a6dd428ed95a-0.jpg&s3=77920-2809-c80b9cb216bf6cf7503b11f93f3c490c-1255×941.jpg] Event overview
・Event overview: Elementary school students in the prefecture will spend three days during their summer vacation learning about the problems faced by Okayama’s sea and the Seto Inland Sea, and efforts to solve them, and have each child think about what they can do individually. It’s an event. On the first day, we held a workshop to search for fish in the Seto Inland Sea at the Oshima Minohama Fisheries Cooperative in Kasaoka City, and through observation of tidal flats, an important place for a rich ocean, we learned about the charm of the Seto Inland Sea and what kind of “rich sea” we should aim for. Learn what it is. On the 2nd and 3rd days, go to Shiroishi Island for 2 days and 1 night. Through fieldwork, we will actually see and experience what it means to “create” a bountiful ocean, and think about what we can do.
・Date: August 1st (Thursday), August 5th (Monday) to August 6th (Tuesday), 2024 ・Venue: Kasaoka City (Oshima Minohama Fisheries Association, tidal flats around the Horseshoe Crab Museum, Shiraishi Island, etc.) ・Number of participants: 24 5th to 6th grade elementary school students Activities on Day 1: What kind of sea is a rich sea? Let’s learn about the current situation of Okayama’s sea.
Under a clear blue sky, 24 elementary school students from across the prefecture gathered at the venue, the Oshima Minohama Fisheries Association in Kasaoka City. After receiving an overview of the event from the organizers, we formed the “Okayama Satoumi Creation Research Group” with our friends who will be studying with us for the next three days.
The first thing that was distributed to the children who were members of the team was the Study Team Study Notebook. In this notebook, you can not only summarize what the lecturers taught you during the three days of the event and what you learned through the experience, but also what you researched and what you thought was “interesting!” or “I want to share!” This is a notebook where you can freely write things down. At the same time as supporting learning, after the event you will have your own original learning notebook filled with the children’s learning.
The first activity was a visit to the Oshima Minohama Fisheries Association’s auction and morning market, with the theme of “Search for fish from the Seto Inland Sea.” The Akita chairman of the Oshima Minohama Fisheries Association and the chairman of Okatoto Morishita taught us the names and characteristics of the various types of fish that were landed that day. There were many fish that the children had never seen before, and the children were filled with questions such as, “What is the name of this fish?” and “How much does it cost?” Children who tried fish sashimi to learn about the deliciousness of freshly caught seafood said things like, “The taste is different from what I usually eat” and “This is my first time eating sashimi, but is it really this delicious?” There were voices of excitement. Through the experience, they learned that the Seto Inland Sea is home to a variety of fish, from large fish to small creatures, and seemed to have a real sense of the “biodiversity” and “richness” that characterize the Seto Inland Sea.
After actually observing the fish in the Seto Inland Sea, we moved to the “Umi Mieru House” near the Fisheries Association, where we received a lecture on the characteristics of Okayama’s sea and its recent changes. Mr. Takehiro Tanaka of the Satoumi Development Research Council took to the stage as a lecturer and explained to the children the richness of the Seto Inland Sea due to its privileged location, as well as the fact that the environment is becoming increasingly difficult for fish to live in compared to the past. A “rich ocean” is not an ocean that is convenient for humans, but an “ocean that has many types and amounts of living things.” To achieve this, it is important that the ocean ecosystem pyramid, which begins with phytoplankton, is well-balanced and large. I also learned that there are “feeding areas” and “hidden areas” that are important places for sea creatures.
The children attended the lecture and learned what a “rich ocean” is like, and that if things continue like this, the ocean around them may lose its abundance.
The last activity on the first day was learning about tidal flats, which are typical places for feeding and hiding places. We moved to the Horseshoe Crab Museum in Kasaoka City, where the curator, Mr. Higashikawa, gave us an explanation about the creatures that live in the tidal flats, and how special the tidal flats are for living things, as the environment changes with the rise and fall of the tide. Ta. After the lecture, we actually observed and learned on a tidal flat. The tidal flats are home to many small creatures that call the sea their home, and the children forgot about the heat and were absorbed in observing the creatures. Through the experience, they seemed to realize the importance of tidal flats, which are home to many small creatures that form the basis of a “rich ocean.”
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2809/resize/d77920-2809-9829e32ad165950332d5-1.jpg&s3=77920-2809-ad16bb06c55fef8bfa2b58755de8736a-1812×669.jpg]
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2809/resize/d77920-2809-d36f1c0c6ee63b9ebd6b-1.jpg&s3=77920-2809-21e49676e0001577d236501bbe82b5da-1016×377.jpg] Activities on the second day: What does it mean to “create” a rich ocean? Learn about Satoumi creation efforts
During the first day’s activities, the children learned about the richness of the Seto Inland Sea, and at the same time learned that tidal flats and seaweed beds play an important role in protecting the rich sea. On the second and third days, participants deepened their learning through workshops over a two-day, one-night itinerary with the theme of how to “create” a bountiful ocean.
On the morning of the second day, the children of the research team departed by sea taxi for Shiroishi Island in the Kasaoka Islands. Many of the children were on a boat for the first time, and they enjoyed the waves, wind, and the beauty of the Seto Inland Sea islands seen from the boat.
The first activity on the second day was a lecture on “satoumi creation.” Continuing from the first day, the lecturer was Mr. Tanaka from the Satoumi Development Research Council. In Mr. Tanaka’s lecture, we learned about “satoumi creation”, an activity to create a bountiful ocean. Furthermore, we learned about Shiroishi Island’s “Ocean Farm,” which is one of the first Satoumi areas in the Seto Inland Sea to be created by humans. Marine farms are created by considering the topography of the ocean and the effects of waves, and installing artificial fishing reefs to create an environment similar to seaweed beds. In order to take care of the food chain, we started by increasing the amount of food, and learned that efforts are being made to increase the number of zooplankton and the living things above it, and that we are creating a livable environment according to the developmental stage of the fish. It has expanded.
After the lecture, the children actually toured the “Ocean Farm.” In addition to observing the “Ocean Farm” from the outside, we also used an underwater drone to observe real images of the inside of the actual Ocean Farm. Unfortunately, due to the intense heat that day, the water temperature was high and there were not many fish visible on the reef, which could be photographed using an underwater drone. Although it was disappointing, it was a valuable experience where I was able to not only learn how fish reefs are installed in the sea, but also to experience for myself the huge impact that rising seawater temperatures are having on the ocean. I did.
In the final activity on the second day, the participants attempted to dismantle an actual artificial fish reef that had been salvaged from the sea. We observed what kind of creatures were inside and what kind of plants were growing on the reef. Children who discovered fry, small creatures, squid eggs, etc. said, “The fish were living in the fish home that was made by humans,” and “You can make a home or a hidden house.” Such voices were heard.
After dismantling the shells, they reassembled them themselves and each person added a message about the ocean to the shells they placed inside the reef before returning them to the sea. The children had fun while learning that humans can also contribute to creating a bountiful ocean. They also seemed happy to realize that they were also contributing to activities that enriched the ocean.
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[Image 5: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2809/resize/d77920-2809-f0d9313e0942f9d67720-4.jpg&s3=77920-2809-c25ba153e1131156587c28c67d38b92c-1016×351.jpg ]
Activities on the 3rd day – Let’s think about what “people” can do to connect the rich ocean to the future –
The third and final day begins with a seine fishing experience. When everyone worked together to pull a net from the sea on the beach of Shiroishi Island, there were many fish, including sea bream, yellowtail grouper, bamboo rockfish, and puffer fish. The children said things like, “I never thought we could catch so many fish in the ocean right in front of us,” “I want to touch the fish we pulled up with our own efforts,” and “This sea is so bountiful.” .
Additionally, a fisherman who has been fishing in Kasaoka for a long time told us about the changes that have occurred before and after creating a satoumi through ocean farms. Seeing so many fish caught in the nets made me realize once again the richness of the sea in Kasaoka, where Satoumi development is being actively implemented. It’s finally the last activity. The venue was moved to the ocean view house of the Oshima Minohama Fisheries Association, and a class was held to reflect on what we had learned over the past three days. The students divided into groups and, while exchanging opinions, compiled and presented their reports. “I want to share what I learned this time with my friends and family.” “Instead of humans taking fish, I want to create a sea where fish can live abundantly.” “It’s important to create a habitat that is suitable for each type of fish.” …. The children seemed to deepen their learning by listening to the opinions of their peers and presenting what they felt and learned through the experience.
Afterwards, as the culmination of the three days, participants took on the challenge of a workshop aimed at developing the event’s original product, “Maehamamon Onigiri.” With the cooperation of Hasei Shoten, the product’s distributor, the children themselves sampled and decided on the ingredients to be included in the rice balls. After that, we created illustrations of sea creatures to be printed on the packaging. They worked hard to draw while remembering the fish they observed at the event, and completed illustrations of 24 unique fish. The product is scheduled to go on sale at Hasei Shoten stores in Okayama Prefecture in October of this year.
Through various hands-on learning activities over the course of these three days, we will learn what a rich ocean is, and in order to protect it, we will create an environment where sea creatures can live comfortably by making proper human intervention. The children learned that “is important.” We hope that this event will serve as an opportunity for people to think about what they can do to preserve the beautiful ocean for future generations, and to take action in the future.
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[Image 7: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2809/resize/d77920-2809-ceb3b803616cb32e965a-6.jpg&s3=77920-2809-0aefa6fa8ae656b2f7d8fcf1e3b9ada9-1027×380.jpg] Feedback from participating children and parents
-Children who participated-
・It was my first time eating sashimi, but I learned that freshly caught Okayama fish is so delicious. I want to protect delicious fish. ・I want to share what I learned about the ocean this time. We especially want to think about ways to convey this message to elementary and junior high school students.
・I learned that it is important to increase the number of
phytoplankton in order to increase the size of the marine ecosystem pyramid in a well-balanced manner.
・I learned that the rich sea is not only beautiful, but also home to a variety of sea creatures and plants.
・We want to do what humans can do to create a sea where fish and people can work together.
-Guardian-
・When I got home, my children couldn’t stop talking about the ocean, and I was glad that it was a valuable experience.
-Lecturer-
・I’m glad that I can now think about not only humans but also sea creatures. -Each group was able to summarize from different perspectives. All of the groups said they wanted to convey the message, so I’m looking forward to the future.
-Organization Overview-
Organization name: General Incorporated Association Sea and Japan Project in Okayama
URL: https://okayama.uminohi.jp/
Activities: Sea and Japan PROJECT in Okayama aims to pass on the beautiful sea of Okayama to the next generation.
RSK offers events to deepen your understanding of the ocean and messages from key people with deep knowledge of the ocean.
In addition to being introduced on TV and radio programs, we plan and manage unique events to promote the charm of Okayama’s sea.
We will disseminate this information widely to the citizens of the prefecture.
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Nippon Foundation “Ocean and Japan Project”
The sea supports Japanese people’s lives in various ways, sometimes giving them peace of mind, excitement, and inspiration. This is an all-Japan project that aims to encourage people across the country, including children, to view the ongoing environmental deterioration of the oceans as their own, and to expand the circle of action to preserve the oceans for future generations. is.
https://uminohi.jp/