Freshwater Monitoring Technician - Scientific Technician

Working Title
- Freshwater Monitoring Technician

Classification
- Scientific Technician 2

Job Status
- Full-Time/Permanent

WDFW Program
- Fish Program – Fish Management

Duty Station
- Forks, Washington – Clallam County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Photo Caption – Coho salmon – Photo Credit: WDFW

This is an opportunity to assist with creel monitoring programs for fall salmon, winter steelhead, spring chinook, and summer steelhead and coho fisheries.

With your experience, you will conduct biological sampling of fish, collect field data, and interview anglers to assess catch rates of salmon and steelhead.

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, this position:

• Conducts angler creel interviews to estimate catch of target species and incidental impacts to non-target species during freshwater recreational salmon and steelhead fisheries.
• Performs surveys to assess angling effort, counting angler vehicles and trailers at multiple, pre-determined river locations accessed by motor vehicle or game camera.
• Provides feedback about sampling protocols, and accurately records data into iForms application, paper data sheets, on scale card paper form, and tissue sample blotter sheets.
• Samples all Chinook, coho salmon, and steelhead with electronic CWT detection devices.
• Classifies, sorts, and enumerates marked (adipose fin-clipped) and unmarked salmon by CWT status.
• Uses a knife to remove snouts from CWT positive fish, which are used to assess stock specific impacts for fisheries modeling.
• Samples salmon catch to obtain stock composition (DNA taken with scissors), age structure (scales taken with forceps), fish length (length taken by measuring device), and hatchery and natural-origin proportions (mark-status).
• to species and sex.
• Observe and record hatchery or research marks on the fish.
• Provides sport fishing regulatory information to the public.

• Accurately enter data to electronic devices (iPad or phone), legibly recording by hand if electronic devices are not available.
• Review and tabulate data.
• Enter data to existing spreadsheets and databases in Excel, Access, Fish Apps, or other apps.
• Quality Control data already entered into databases using the DFW Fish Apps online data portal as needed to assist the lead biologist.
• Summarize, prepare, write, text, call in, or email data requested by supervisors or other WDFW management staff.

• Use established procedures to conduct steelhead redd count surveys by accurately recording observed redds and live and dead fish counts within selected stream reaches of Clallam and West Jefferson counties.
• Maintain accurate field records.
• Sample fish carcasses on spawning grounds or hatchery. Collect snouts for CWT, tissue for genetic samples, scales, and otoliths, in addition to biometric data such as sex, length, mark status (fin clip).
• Contact private landowners, ONP and DNR for permission to gain access to land and acquire gate keys to gain access to survey sections.

Work setting:
Work is primarily conducted in the field. Adverse weather and environmental conditions, noise, odors, repetitive movements of hands, finger manipulations, long periods of sitting, squatting, and walking through vegetation and in uneven terrain in and near streams and rivers to obtain angler interviews and conduct redd counts, 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, transporting agency staff and equipment in agency vehicles. Contacting anglers requires driving and hiking to fishing…