Fishery Science Profession – Page 5

Blending a fisheries science career as a mom and military spouse: the challenges of my road less traveled

By: Dana Sackett I was recently encouraged by a close friend to share the challenges and successes of the path I have chosen as a fisheries scientist, mom, and military spouse. To be honest, this path wasn’t the plan, but after falling in love and marrying into the military, I found I needed to pave…

Fish Ninjas: Alaskan scientists swoop in to capture fish

In Alaska, salmon are king. As an organism and a resource, they are the pinnacle of cultural, financial, and ecological value. Scientists are going ninja to enable salmon to continue reigning as king over these waters for generations to come.

What do you want from a professional society?

Many of us that work in fisheries science—and in other sciences—participate in a professional society. These are groups that aren’t based with your employer, but rather are comprised of individuals across a number of jobs and sectors. Professional scientific societies provide excellent means for networking, sharing science, and many other benefits. Common examples of professional…

Bigfoot teaches statistics

I completely changed how I teach fisheries and wildlife sciences, and I used Bigfoot to do it. I realized we don’t have to choose between teaching analytical skills or scientific literacy. After all, science is based on the process of inquiry. As researchers, we acknowledge this fact everyday: we have to, we live it. Isn’t…

Biologists cut the faces off of fish to save streams (VIDEO)

By Patrick Cooney, Certified Fisheries Professional Scientists at hatcheries are cutting the faces off of fish as part of a program to improve the health of rivers, but why? Read on, and you will realize that this rather barbaric act makes scientific sense. Video by Patrick Cooney What do gardens and rivers have in common?…

How to land a technician job in fisheries and wildlife

Spring: a wonderful time of year when a young biologist’s thoughts turn to field work and all the great experiences that come with it. But to earn paid access to all those rivers and mountains, you have to go through the time-honored process of dusting off your résumé, writing cover letters and personal statements, and…

Hostage Fish: The Bundys weren’t the first to invade Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (Op-Ed)

The following is an Op-Ed by a fisheries scientist who resides in Burns, Oregon (and recently married a cattle rancher). This article is the author’s own opinion and is not affiliated with an official position of the Burns Paiute Tribe, the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, nor the members of The Fisheries Blog. The author has…

Sea Lions and a Flying Fish to the Face

By Patrick Cooney, Certified Fisheries Scientist Just as my head emerged from the water’s surface, “WHACK!”. My ears rang with a sharp noise as I tried to make sense of what had just struck me across the face at the tail end my first night Scuba dive. The Channel Islands, often called the Galapagos of…

The top 10 list of natural resources schools (is completely rubbish)

by Brandon Peoples Late this summer, an interesting link popped up on my Facebook feed: “The 10 best colleges for studying natural resources and conservation”. The list was put together by College Factual, a website dedicated to helping people find college programs that will improve their employment possibilities after graduation. I clicked the link, and was…

Value of Professional Conferences

In an age of constantly advancing telecommunications, there’s still something irreplaceably human about connecting with a wide range of colleagues in person at a professional conference.

Happy Conferencing!

We’re taking this week off from blogging because we are busy with events at the American Fisheries Society’s Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon! If you are at the conference, say hi, otherwise we’ll be back next week.

Biologists take over Twitter

by Anne Hilborn, guest blogger Many scientists (myself included) are initially suspicious of using social media professionally, thinking it a bit too show offy, a bit too much like tooting your own horn, a bit too much of a waste of time. However, many of us eventually discover it can be a great tool for…

Top 10 Books About Fish

By Patrick Cooney Every week in 1st grade, we made the march to the library to check out a book. One week, I harmlessly checked out a book about fish identification. Little did I know that it would be the start of my journey to becoming a fisheries scientist.I can still smell the freshly dried glue…

Thank You Jaws! The Upside for Sharks 40 Years Later

By: Tobey Curtis, guest blogger When Jaws hit theaters 40 years ago this week, it changed everything for sharks. Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of Peter Benchley’s monster shark novel is now so iconic that it requires no introduction. The thrumming, two-note cello riff can still send shivers down your spine even if someone starts humming…