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MARCO ISLAND — Children of migrant farmworkers spent Saturday learning the techniques and rules of responsible fishing.

The 47 children from Immokalee participated in a fishing clinic hosted at Port of the Islands Marina as part of National Wildlife Refuge Week.

For days before the clinic, the children eagerly waited for the opportunity to go on the trip.

“They kept asking me all week … ‘When are we going? Are we still going? You’re going to pick me up?’, so they were very excited,” said Tina Alvarado, a migrant home school liaison.

The children split into groups and rotated through different stations to learn skills associated with fishing.

Volunteers from several organizations, including the Marco Sport Fishing Club and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, taught the children how to tie knots, proper ways to handle fish, what to have in a tackle box, and fishing regulations.

“We want to try to promote people using the refuges in a sustainable way, so through this program in particular we’re helping to educate the kids about ethical fishing,” said Takako Sato, assistant manager for the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Each child received a rod, reel and tackle box to take home after the clinic, thanks to a grant from Fish Florida. They then had the opportunity to apply what they learned by fishing off the dock at the marina.

Twelve-year-old Humilde Pedro was most excited that he learned to tie knots and cast the line.

“I’ve never been before … it’s fun,” Pedro said.

The opportunity to expose the children to a new activity while teaching them about responsible fishing techniques made the event a success in the eyes of the clinic organizers.

“It expands their horizons. These kids have a chance to do something totally different and they’re going to go home and tell their friends about it and their family about it,” said Layne Hamilton, refuge manager for the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Organizers also hope it helps get the children off the couch and out into nature.

“The one thing we find nowadays is that with all the new electronic games and TV … they’re losing their relationship with nature and what’s out here,” Hamilton said. “This is one way of getting kids outside and getting them involved with their family.”

Not all of the children attending the clinic may get to fish again, but they will take other things from the day.

“A lot of these kids, this is going to be the only chance to have this kind of experience until they’re older and can do it on their own, because most of these kids are needy and the parents have to work. So that’s a luxury to take them fishing and buy the stuff that they need,” Alvarado said.

Even if they don’t pick up their rod and reel often, clinic organizers say the children are gaining other valuable life skills.

“From a youth development perspective … it’s developing youth leadership and self-confidence,” said Bryan Fluech, clinic organizer and Collier County Marine Agent with the Florida Sea Grant Extension Program. “Sometimes being from Immokalee they may not be in an environment where they get that and fishing’s a really great way to foster that.”

The children were all smiles as they put down their rods to go on a boat ride before lunch. The biggest thing caught was some grass, but it didn’t seem to deter their enthusiasm for the day.

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For more information on becoming involved in future fishing clinics, contact Bryan Fluech at (239) 417-6310.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue a celebration of National Wildlife Refuge Week at the Port of the Islands Marina from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11. The event is open to the public and will include free guided tours and workshops. For more information, call (239) 353-8442.