Whitebait

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/whitebait

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Whitebait?25 to 50 millimeters
2. What is the taxonomic group?Collective term for immature fry of various fish species
3. What is the primary habitat?Coastal waters, estuaries, and sometimes freshwater rivers
4. Why do whitebait swim in schools?They gather in dense groups along coastlines and estuaries to find food and stay safe from predators.
5. How do people catch whitebait?Special fine‑meshed nets are used to catch the small fish while keeping larger ones out.

Fry: The larval and juvenile stages of fish, following hatching and before reaching maturity.
Estuary: A partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it.
Bycatch: The unintentional capture of non-target species during fishing operations.
Recruitment: The process by which young fish survive to join the adult population.