Ocean Career: Fisheries Biologist at Pacific States Marine Fisheries

Fishery Biologist 2
- Ocean Salmon Project (21-1114)

Duties may include:

Analyze and evaluate environmental and fishery data; develop and maintain databases; coordinate data entry and verification of entered data; summarize data; and conduct routine statistical analyses. Evaluate and make recommendations on data collection techniques and methodologies. Evaluate the impacts of recreational and commercial fisheries on critical salmon stocks and other State natural resources, including essential fish habitat.

Serve as OSP representative on team responsible for migrating databases and associated data entry, processing, and estimation programs from Visual Fox Pro to a new database platform and programming language. Coordinate with project collaborators and contractors to ensure the new data management system meets Ocean Salmon Projects needs. Assist in the development of new programs for data entry, QA/QC, and various analyses.

Conduct fishery and population assessments, such as cohort reconstructions, abundance forecasts, population simulations, etc., using existing tools. Develop and/or test of new stock assessment tools for use in salmon management.

Review, write, and assist with the preparation of project reports.

Assist with OSP's annual fishery sampling and CWT processing activities, including:

• Review, interview, and assist with hiring seasonal or permanent lab and field staff, assist with annual performance reviews, contribute to the professional development of staff.
• Oversee sport and commercial ocean salmon fishery monitoring and collection of salmon heads, lead and train staff in field data and sample collection, sample sport and commercial fisheries, ensure the project's sampling objectives are met.
• Lead permanent and seasonal laboratory staff in the processing of CWTs, and associated data entry and QA/QC procedures. Determines processing priorities and assists in the recovery of ocean CWTs in the field as needed.

Support OSP's scale reading activities and age-structure analyses. Assist with the generation of scale-aging assignments from inland and ocean Chinook salmon scale collections. Read scales from all four runs of Central Valley Chinook salmon, as well as from Chinook harvested in California's mixed-stock ocean salmon fisheries to determine age composition. Guide other staff in scale sample processing, digital imaging, and reading practices.

Serve various administrative functions as required such as assisting with budget tracking and procurement, maintaining project equipment, overseeing vehicle maintenance, develop and enforce safety protocols.

Essential Functions:

Included in this band are professional positions that perform recurring assignments ranging from moderate difficulty where conventional or straight-forward biological concerns are encountered to complex assignments where specialized knowledge and demonstrated competence in advanced techniques are required. (The functions listed below are characteristic of the type and level of work associated with this group and pay band. They are not all-inclusive.

Individual positions may perform some or all, as well as other similar work.)

At the lower end of the range, Fishery Biologists have a solid working knowledge of established scientific methods and techniques to perform recurring assignments of moderate difficulty. Methods and techniques are well established, apply to most situations, and do not require significant deviations. Resource planning reports generated by employees at this level involve conventional biological concerns. Reports generated may be short-range management plans or portions of annual work plans.

Lower range work examples include:

• Following existing protocols for sample collection, testing and analyses. Recommend modifications of existing research protocols. Design data collection forms and set up research databases for integration of data. Compile and analyze data for reports, prepare graphics, contribute to or write papers for peer-reviewed journals, and present research results at professional meetings.
• Evaluate and direct sampling efforts or reporting practices to best meet data requirements. Write memoranda and reports necessary for transfer of information to the appropriate individuals, agencies, and organizations.
• Write or contribute to papers and reports for publication, and compile reports on results of data collection and analysis. Prepare and deliver formal and informal presentations at seminars, meetings, etc.
• Assist in writing contract proposals and progress reports. Assist in developing detailed contract specifications, task statements, quality of work criteria, and other specifications.
• Monitor budget expenses for projects, control purchasing, and manage equipment inventories.

At the upper end of the range, the Fishery Biologist has specialized knowledge and demonstrated competence in advanced techniques of a complex area of fish biology sufficient to serve as a troubleshooter or specialist. The employee is competent to…