Marine and Aquatic Practises (MAP)

Western Cape College situted in Far North Queensland is ideally suited for MAP and has been offering MAP in Year 10 as a preparatory subject for senior science. 

The local environment is rich in Fauna and Flora and provides students from WCC an unrivalled opportunity to investigate and explore the local region.  The size of the community also allows for liaison with local agencies such as Customs and the DPI. Weipa is also extraordinarily rich in culture with all locals relying on the sea and its surrounds for employment, food and not to mention its superb recreational prospects.

MAP is a subject that encompasses all aspects of the sea and its surrounds.  There are four main areas of the course and they are: 

Cultural

Environmental

Recreational

Commercial

From this broad base of materials it is possible to develop a school-based unit and WCC is focussing on aquaculture.  It is envisioned that the school will �grow out� fingerling Barramundi to sale size in the course of a year using a recirculating system.  Students will be responsible for all aspects of the management and construction of the project and will manage the unit to ultimately provide experience that is as close to authentic as possible.

In 2006 WCC has extended the MAP course to include Year 9 and Years 11 and 12 and a core content that intensifies through each grade culminating in the Aquaculture project in Year 12.  It is envisaged that MAP will provide students of WCC with valuable experience and skills that will assist in integration into all employment areas of the marine and related industries.