Creel Surveyor - Scientific Technician - Career Seasonal

Creel Surveyor

Classification:
Scientific Technician 2

Job Status:
Full-Time/Career Seasonal

Season Length: 5.5 Months – May 25 – November 7. For the 2026 season, the expected season length is August 24, 2026 – November 7, 2026.

WDFW Program:
Fish Program – Puget Sound Management

Duty Station:
Kingston, Washington – Kitsap County

Are you passionate about the preservation and protection of fish and shellfish populations?

With sustainability and conservation in mind, you will observe, count, and accurately identify all salmon and marine fish species.

With your experience, you will collect and summarize recreational salmon, marine fish, and shellfish catch information.

We are seeking a candidate to interact with Puget Sound recreational anglers and shell fishers, as well as co-workers from WDFW and Treaty Tribes.

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

Sample recreational fisheries for salmon, halibut, 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. Collect biological data from fish. Some positions also sample commercial salmon catch at fish buyers and processing facilities.

• Interview and sample recreational fishery anglers at assigned boat launch facilities.
• Properly implement interview procedures and sampling protocols.
• Accurately record data on appropriate electronic or backup 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.
• Remove the snouts of Chinook and Coho salmon with CWTs to determine stock specific impacts for fisheries modeling.
• Sample recreational and/or commercial salmon catch for other biological data such as DNA, age (scales), and other biological samples.

Data review, public relations, maintenance, and other administrative duties.

• Daily use of iForms. Conduct error checks of sampling data before uploading. Upload data daily.
• Provide the public with information on sport fishing regulation and fish identification.
• Liaison with WDFW Enforcement and supervisor on fishery violations when needed.
• May operate and maintain an agency vehicle.
• Maintain sampling equipment.
• Daily check of Microsoft TEAMs chats and email in Outlook.

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:

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:
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 shell fishers; interacts with the public daily for fisheries data collection, and provide basic information regarding fisheries resources, as well as agency programs and activities. Provides sport fishing regulatory information to the public. Includes possible contact with individuals who are angry, distraught, or…