Dockside Sampler - Scientific Technician - Seasonal - Two Positions

Title- Dockside Sampler

Classification- Scientific Technician 2

Openings- Two (2)

Job Status- Full-Time/Career Seasonal
WDFW Program- Fish Program – Puget Sound Management Section
Duty Station-

One (1) position – Port Townsend, Washington – Jefferson County

One (1) position – Sekiu, Washington – Clallam County

Season Length-

Port Townsend - 7.5 months – March 25 – November 7

Sekiu – Seven (7) months - March 25 – October 22

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW
!

Photo Caption – ST2 on dock – Photo Credit: WDFW

With sustainability and conservation in mind,you will collect and summarize recreational and commercial salmon, marine fish and shellfish catch information and collect biological data to meet fisheries sampling goals.

In this dynamic role, you will interview as many recreational fishery anglers as possible at assigned boat launch facilities.

With your experience,you will obtain stock composition of the fishery, age structure (scales), length information for legal and sublegal proportions, and hatchery/natural-origin proportions (clipped/un-clipped adipose fin status) for salmon fisheries.

What to Expect-

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the dockside samplers will,

Sample predominantly recreational fisheries for salmon, marine fish and shellfish catch to determine the catch per unit of effort and species composition to obtain valid sport catch estimates for salmon and other marine fish. Sample salmon for coded-wire tags and collect biological data. May sample commercial salmon fisheries at fish buyers and plants.

• Properly implement interview procedures and sampling protocols. Accurately record data on appropriate electronic or paper forms.
• Observe, count, and accurately identify all salmon and marine fish species.
• Sample all Coho and Chinook salmon with electronic coded-wire tag (CWT) detection devices (wand detectors).
• Classify, sort, and enumerate marked (adipose fin-clipped) tagged, marked untagged, unmarked tagged, and unmarked untagged salmon.
• Retrieve CWTs from the snouts of Chinook and Coho salmon to determine stock specific impacts for fisheries modeling.
• Sample recreational and or commercial salmon catch for biological data including DNA, age (scales), and sex ratios.

Data review and summary, public relations, maintenance duties, other duties as assigned.

• Conduct error checks of sampling data.
• Provide sport fishing regulatory information to the public.
• Liaison to regional supervisor on fishery violations observed in the field.
• Provide written reports on violations and may be called to give testimony informally or in court.
• Operate and maintain an agency vehicle as needed.
• Maintain sampling equipment.
• Daily use of iForms, MS TEAMs, and email in Outlook.
• Complete other tasks as needed.

Working Conditions:

Work setting: Work is primarily conducted in the field. May encounter adverse weather and sea conditions, noise, odors, repetitive movements of hands, finger manipulations, long periods of sitting, squatting, walking, boating for angler interviews, climbing in and out of boats, sampling salmon in a boat, carrying, kneeling, heavy lifting (up to 40 lbs. unassisted) containers of fish, working and standing in confined space, fish blood and slime, slippery surfaces, biting and stinging insects, use of knives, may transport agency staff and equipment in agency vehicles.

This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments

Schedule: This position is full-time, working 40 hours per week. The standard work schedule requires flexibility; may be assigned work hours at any time within a 24-hour period. Work shifts are not fixed and may vary based on operational needs.

Travel requirements: This position may travel throughout Puget Sound, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Hood Canal. Overnight travel will be infrequent, and use of a personal vehicle may be required.

Customer Interactions: Interactions with co-workers from WDFW and Tribes, commercial harvester or fishers, salmon buyers, fish processors, recreational anglers and shellfishers; interacts with the public daily for…