Area Fisheries Biologist - Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Title- Area Fisheries Biologist

Classification- Fish and Wildlife Biologist 3

Job Status- Full-Time - Permanent

WDFW Program- Fish Program
Duty Station- Olympia, Washington – Thurston County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Photo Caption:
Fishing for Chinook Salmon – Photo Credit: WDFW

Serve as the agency’s fishery management lead for the Puyallup Basin and East Kitsap area, guiding research and management efforts for fish populations.

Lead work that turns field data and scientific analysis into practical management strategies that protect native fish and wildlife and support sustainable fisheries.

What to Expect:

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Area Fisheries Biologist will,

Develop preseason management plans for salmon and steelhead that meet conservation objectives while providing recreational fishing opportunity within Pierce and Kitsap County:

• Independently design, and conduct field studies to monitor annual abundance of salmon and steelhead spawning populations.
• Analyze and communicate results through final written products including peer reviewed and/or agency publications, as well as oral presentations to agency staff, co-managers, and others.
• Design and develop preseason and in-season fishing models that estimate impacts from recreational fisheries .
• Stay current with peer reviewed publications regarding new methodologies for salmon and steelhead management.

Manage the Inland Fish Program (lowland and high lakes, resident and anadromous cutthroat, rainbow trout and bull trout in streams and rivers, as well as warm water species in lowland lakes) within Pierce and East Kitsap Counties:

• Develop and conduct studies to evaluate the relative success of various stocking strategies.
• Conduct spawning ground surveys for steelhead, bull trout, coastal cutthroat trout and resident rainbow trout by foot, pontoon boat, or aerial surveys in helicopters.
• Assist with warm water surveys to sample warmwater fish assemblages in inland lakes.

Represent WDFW as a technical expert during the annual North of Falcon (NOF) salmon fisheries planning process with tribal co-managers and NOAA:

• Develop preseason forecast models for Pacific salmon species that are used in the annual NOF salmon fisheries planning process.
• Provide annual stock abundance estimates and design and manage hatchery programs to achieve fishery and conservation objectives.
• Implement creel surveys and use catch data to model impacts from recreational fisheries on salmon and steelhead populations.
• Provide technical support for the District Biologist and Regional Program Manager in policy discussions.

Monitor and assist in Fish Passage Programs in the Puyallup Watershed:

• Collaborate with Tribal Co-managers and Federal Agencies in both the Electron Hydro Project on the Puyallup River and the Mud Mountain Dam Fish Passage Facility on the White River to collect biological samples, assess fish passage, assist with fish rescue events, and provide technical assistance.
• Serve as a member of the South Sound Spring Chinook Technical Committee (SSSCTC) and provide technical expertise.

Working Conditions:

Work setting, including hazards:

• Much of the field work is conducted in remote locations, on unstable terrain or in and around moving water.
• Field work may involve risks such as trips and falls, water-related hazards operating a vehicle, motorboat, raft, and pontoon boat as well as conducting aerial surveys in helicopters. Other hazards may include extreme temperatures, stinging insects and plants, and wildlife encounters.
• Survey long distances independently and often for long hours.
• This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to…