Capital Press Reading Activity

Another in the series of Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom non-fiction text examples to be used in your classroom. These will be available every Friday morning at 7 a.m. during the school year.

These questions are designed to use in conjunction with a selected article from the Capital Press. To obtain access to an e-edition of Capital Press FREE to educators and students visit http://capitalpress.or.newsmemory.com/nie.php/ For more information about this program and ways to use it in your classroom visit the program webpage. 

Article: A fish farmer’s best friend (Page 2)

Questions:

1. What is aquaculture? 
2. What is Fornshell's role in the industry? How does this help farmers? 
3. What were the results from his survey and research regarding regulations in the industry? 
4. What is the potential new species for fish farms in Idaho? What research is Fornshell and others working on to make it commercially viable? 
5. The aquaculture industry is very small in Oregon, but larger in other states, such as the featured Idaho. List at least two advantages or benefits and two disadvantages of challenges of this type of farming.

Answers: 

1. The farming of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic plants, algae and other aquatic organisms. 
2. Fornshell is an aquaculture educator. He works to conduct research and help farmers with different topics of importance to their businesses. 
3. The regulations have resulted in an increase cost for producers. This has proven particularly challenging for small farms, as a result many have gone out of business. 
4. The species is burbot. They are currently researching challenges with the feeding of the species (they are plankton-eating as larvae). They are testing different foods, experimenting with selection of quickly growing fish and considering creating a sterile fish so that it won't risk escaping and becoming an invasive species.  
5. Answers will vary. Possible advantages include providing consumers an inexpensive source of protein, business opportunities, less strain on natural seafood populations. Possible disadvantages or challenges include public perception, fish waste pollution, threats to natural fish populations and lack of experience or knowledge.   

Archives of past editions are available here. 

We welcome feedback or ideas to make this program as effective as possible! Please direct your questions or suggestions about this program to Jessica Jansen, Executive Director Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom  jessica.jansen@oregonstate.edu.