NAPLES DAILY NEWS

September 29, 2008

 

Saturday clinic to teach migrant farmworker youths basic fishing skills

 

— In recognition of National Wildlife Refuge Week, the Collier County Sea Grant Extension Agent has partnered with the Ten Thousand Islands Panther National Wildlife Refuge and Port of the Islands Marina to host a Kids Fishing Clinic.

The Kids Fishing Clinic is for 50 migrant farmworker youth between the ages seven and 13. It will be hosted on Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The kids will rotate through a series of stations that focus on basic fishing skills and stewardship practices (i.e., knot tying, casting, following fishing regulations, catch and release practices etc).

Following the skills stations, the children will get the opportunity to fish along the banks of the marina. Port of the Island Marina is donating bait and providing lunch for the participants.

Fish Florida provided a grant to University Extension Services to provide fishing poles and mini-tackle boxes for the kids. The children will be able to keep these supplies to use at their leisure and to practice their fishing skills. Additionally, this fun excursion will give the kids free educational handouts profiling safe fishing practices.

Several volunteers from the Marco Island Sport Fishing Club will be assisting with the program as well as marine officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.