Sport Fishery Monitoring Technician - Scientific Technician - Non-Perm

Job Details

Title: Sport Fishery Monitoring Technician

Classification: Scientific Technician 2 (ST2)

Job Status: Full-Time / Non-Permanent

Number of Vacancies: Four (4)

Appointment Length: 1.7 months – October 22, 2025 – December 12, 2025

WDFW Program: Fish Program – Fish Management Division – Region 3

Duty Station: Pasco, Washington – Franklin County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW !

Overview: These positions play a key role in monitoring salmon and steelhead fisheries in the Tri-Cities area, with a focus on sport fishery monitoring during the fall season and assisting with stream surveys in the Hanford Reach and Yakima River from October through December. The data collected helps track fishing effort, harvest, and impacts on Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed species, ensuring that in-season harvest stays within regional allocations.

These fisheries are managed under U.S. v. Oregon and guided by pre-season forecasts and ongoing updates from the Technical Advisory Committee. By gathering accurate biological and harvest information, technicians directly support run reconstruction, future forecasting, and assessments of both hatchery and natural populations. In short, the information you collect in these positions are vital to the sustainable management of salmon and steelhead in Washington waters.

Among the varied range of responsibilities within these roles, the Sport Fishery Monitoring Technicians will:

• Sport Fishery Surveys: Conduct on-site interviews with anglers participating in salmon and steelhead sport fisheries at boat launches and shoreline access areas; estimate fishing effort through boat trailer index counts and angler interviews; identify harvested fish to species and collect biological data including number, length, gender, fin clips, coded wire tags, and scales for aging.
• Stream Surveys: Collect post-spawn salmon carcasses in-river by boat and along shorelines within the WDFW District 4 waters of the Columbia and Yakima Rivers; follow sport fishery sampling protocols with otolith collection (for aging and origin) and egg retention assessments to evaluate spawning success; dissect female carcasses to determine spawning success; cut all sampled carcasses in half to prevent duplicate sampling.

• Safely operate state vehicles (including boats) in compliance with state laws and WDFW policies, ensuring protection of staff, the public, and property.
• Tow, launch, and operate state boats ranging from 18’ to 20’ in length.
• Maintain records including operator, date, boat number, gallons, costs, and collect and file all fuel receipts.

• Review all field data collected for completeness and accuracy both in the field and upon return to the office.
• Collect, package, label, and process all biological samples at the end of each shift.

• Ensure all equipment, boats, and vehicles assigned to them or their crew are fueled, cleaned, sanitized, and maintained daily.

• Work is conducted primarily in the field, requiring travel to multiple public access sites and remote locations, including work on-river in the Hanford Reach area of the Columbia River and the lower 30 miles of the Yakima River.
• Fieldwork occurs in all weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, rain, and snow.
• Duties may involve hiking over rough and slippery terrain.
• Potential hazards include encounters with dangerous wildlife and exposure to illegal activities.
• Work may involve handling chemicals used in biological sampling and vehicle operations.
• Responsible for safe use and care of vehicles, boats, field equipment, PIT tag readers, and coded wire tag wands.
• May be stationed alone at public fishing areas for up to 10 hours per day to conduct creel sampling.
• Many work locations are primitive without facilities or quick availability to medical facilities.
• The majority of the work will be in close proximity to the Hanford Department of Energy site.
• This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule: Full-tim…