Global Issues in Fisheries and Aquaculture

Although John Cabot is a liberal arts university, it has no shortage of interesting classes for a wide variety of majors, including science and engineering. If you need to take a couple extra classes to catch up - or want to get ahead of the game - and would like to spend your summer in Rome, why not check out the courses being offered during JCU's summer sessions? Many of them are taught by prestigious visiting professors, including a brand-new course being offered during the Summer II Session, Special Topics in Natural Science: Global Issues in Fisheries and Aquaculture (NS 299).

Visiting instructor Dr. Devin Bartley from Michigan State University (MSU) will be teaching the course that "will answer all you ever wanted to know about international fisheries and aquaculture... but were afraid to ask!" The course will revolve around the following questions:

• Aquaculture is the world’s fastest-growing food producing sector – is it sustainable? 
• The collapse of the world’s capture fisheries make headlines – is it true? Will we still have wild tuna, salmon, shrimp, and sharks in the year 2050?
• Wild freshwater fish are the most endangered group of vertebrates used by humans – will they be around in the year 2050?
• Do we have GMO fish? Are they safe?

The intensive coverage of major issues facing the world's fisheries and aquaculture sector will also shed light on genetic resource management, trade, post-harvest processing, and biodiversity. The course will consist of a series of 2-hour lectures, and will include two field trips to fishery and aquaculture facilities near Rome. The trips are financially supported by Michigan State University as part of its ongoing collaboration with John Cabot University and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Dr. Bartley will be bringing his own professional expertise to the classroom. Dr. Bartley recently retired from FAO after 22 years with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, where he focused on genetic resource management, biodiversity, and inland capture fisheries. He was also the Aquaculture Coordinator for the state of California from 2008-2010. Dr. Bartley is currently the Robin Welcomme Fellow at MSU and a senior research associate at the World Fisheries Trust in Canada.

Don't miss the opportunity to sign up for this unique course! Registration starts April 18, and classes start July 2nd. For more information on the course, check out the course syllabus.