Fishy is a simulation, based on real data, about
fishing for plaice in the North Sea. The program can
be used at different levels by children of primary
and secondary age - the levels being set by the
ability of the children to consider/apply the
various concepts and skills involved: a fishing trip,
distribution, conservation; accurate recording and
simple calculations, developing strategies, applying
various statistical methods.
Up to five companies, each represented by an
individual or group, can take part. All transactions
are recorded on the log sheet provided to enable
each company to work out its "score" for each voyage.
The program simulates the usual factors which affect
fishing: weather, location, size of catch, and luck.
The screen format is well-designed - allowing large
number of facts to be presented and recorded in an
attractive way - grid map (once again, why not use
the accepted method of using the bottom left hand
corner as the "base point"?), table of information
on the companies taking part, weather report, catch
score. Instructions for filling in the log sheets
appear on the screen at the appropriate time - these
records are helpful when deciding on strategies for
subsequent fishing trips.
location of plaice in the North Sea, but during any
one game, the stocks in an area decrease in proportion
to the catches recorded there!
Having caught their fish, the "companies" decide their
own landing days independently and secretly for each
trip (a touch of fishy espionage?). The computer
generated auction prices take into account "market
forces", which adds to the realism and fun - when
the fish is landed, how much was landed in any
previous voyages in the game, and the size of the
current catches. Costs involved are based on the
distance from Lowestoft to the selected fishing
grounds, so they have to be careful of rash exploration.
This is an interesting program which will provide
added stimulus to a project. It would have been
enhanced if a summary of the transaction had been
included, which the groups could use to check their
own - and their competitor! - scores, rather than
the "Add together your scores for each voyage"
message.
While it is possible to run one or two groups through
the program for "X weeks" and then start again, if one
wishes to run five companies at one time (same
weather reports) with three children in each group,
the numbers around the computer or movement to and
fro becomes too great, and unfortunately there's no
facility to save data for another occasion. I would
prefer, from a classroom organisation point of view,
the teacher options offered as standard in
Cambridgeshire Software House's simulations.
Most teachers using this program would welcome more
background information, e.g. some of the statistics
on which the program is based. However, the rather
sketchy notes ends with "Those interested in
receiving details of EARO publications which support
the study of North Sea fishing are invited to write
to the address given below" - why not include them
and save the postage?
Outside the East Anglia Region, this program is
available from E.S.M.
1st September 1985
