Fisheries ministry to promote ocean literacy

namib times 19 June 2015

The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources announced their plans for a Marine Environmental Education and Outreach (MEEO) program to promote ocean literacy, at the three day Annual Research Meeting (ARM) in Swakopmund recently.

The MEEO Program was presented by Senior Fisheries Biologist: Environmental Monitoring and Research Subdivision Richard Horaeb, of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, who explained that Namibians do not have a strong heritage with the ocean.

According to his presentation the coastal population is increasing and thus creating pressure on the resour-

ces and environmental education is the key in raising awareness.

“Marine Environmental Education (MEE) is under represented in current environmental educational activities and in the school curricula which leads to ocean illiteracy” Horaeb says.

He further added that the main objective of the program is to promote ocean literacy because an ocean literate public is one that, when relevant news or events occur regarding the ocean, understands the implications for humanity and for the world as a whole.

“The MEEO program will provide experimental learning, sensitise as well as expose children as well as learners to the different aspects of the marine environment and help them build a stronger connection with the ocean” Horaeb explains.

 

The outcome of the program will raise awareness with basic principles and concepts of marine science, the identification of marine biodiversity, skills in recreational fishing, increase awareness of career opportunities in marine science, increase the appreciation and value to marine environment including the life in it.

“The MEEO program will have activities such as an intertidal safari, fishing workshops, aquarium sleepovers, ocean adventures, mirabilis open day and job shadowing” he concluded.