Fisheries and Human Rights

Lesson Plans

Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APEconomics, Civics

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by EarthEcho International

Open Resource

What it is

In this lesson, students will learn about human trafficking, the unfair working conditions in Thailand's fishing industry, and how to use this information to practice responsible consumption when buying seafood.
Students will watch several videos detailing stories of injustice in the industry, despite regulations attempting to solve the problem. They will then create a mind map to understand fisheries as a system.

Teaching tips

Positives

This resource drives home the importance of seeing the injustice in the fishing industry as part of a system that supplies our seafood, rather than seeing it as a separate, far-away issue.
Students will get to hear the voices of the fishermen who were victims of human trafficking in Thailand's fishing industry.

Prerequisites

Teachers may need to introduce students to the key vocabulary terms before starting the lesson.

Differentiation & Implementation

After learning about the human rights violations in seafood production, students can also research how overfishing and other problems can impact the climate and ecosystems.
While watching the video, Thailand: Forced Labor, Trafficking Persist in Fishing Fleets, some students may benefit from slowing the video to read the subtitles.
After this lesson, students may benefit from this Reading Lesson: Sustainable Seafood, to see examples of how sustainable aquaculture can benefit people and the planet.

From the scientist review

This resource presents a series of worksheets and activities focused on fisheries and human rights. The resource is well-cited, and several peer-reviewed sources are listed. All key terms are clearly defined in the introduction. While largely focused on worker rights, this resource repeatedly states the centrality of climate change in the sustainability of fisheries. This resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Subjects: Economics, Civics
Other types: Articles/Websites, Videos, Activity - Classroom, Worksheets
Format: PDF, YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Asia, North America > United States
Provider: EarthEcho International
Authors: EarthEcho International, López-Wagner Strategies
Published: January 9, 2025
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.10.9-12 + 12 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Civ.10.9-12Analyze the impact and the appropriate roles of personal interests and perspectives on the application of civic virtues, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human rights.
D2.Civ.12.9-12Analyze how people use and challenge local, state, national, and international laws to address a variety of public issues.
D2.Civ.13.9-12Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences.
D2.Civ.14.9-12Analyze historical, contemporary, and emerging means of changing societies, promoting the common good, and protecting rights.
D2.Eco.1.9-12Analyze how incentives influence choices that may result in policies with a range of costs and benefits for different groups.
D2.Eco.15.9-12Explain how current globalization trends and policies affect economic growth, labor markets, rights of citizens, the environment, and resource and income distribution in different nations.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

HS-CCC-Systemsand System Models.2. When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models.

New Jersey Climate Education Hub

English Language Arts

RI.CI.9–10.2Determine one or more central ideas of an informational text and analyze how it is developed and refined over the course of a text, including how it emerges and is shaped by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
SL.II.9-10.2Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, qualitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
SL.PE.11-12.1Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with peers on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
L.VL.9–10.3Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, including technical meanings, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Science

HS-ESS3-4.Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

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Teaching tips

From the scientist review

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