Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences

Fisheries and Aquaculture Techniques - Certificate

Want to fast-track your education? The Fisheries & Aquaculture Techniques Certificate focuses on applied, technical skill development in just nine months to maximize learning with a minimal time commitment. This certificate is ideal for students exploring new career pathways, established industry members desiring additional training, or those wishing to supplement their bachelor’s degree with hands-on experience.

Certificate students wishing to learn more advanced topics for higher employment placement may apply all Fisheries & Aquaculture Techniques certificate course credits towards an AAS or AAS-T in Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences. Upon completion of the Fisheries & Aquaculture Techniques Certificate, students also receive the Aquaculture Science Certificate of Completion.

Employment Information

Data are provided on a program (not credential) level

63%1 BTC graduate placement rate (Employment Security Department- WA and OR only)
96%3 BTC graduate placement rate (faculty-tracked, national)
78%3 BTC in-field graduate placement rate (faculty-tracked, national)

$48,578 starting annual wage2
$56,268 average annual wage2
$67,999 potential annual wage2

  • Employment and Wage Data Sources and Information

    1Employment data come from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and reflect three-year averages among BTC students employed in either Washington or Oregon. Students are included in the employment rate if they left with a credential. Rates are not shown for programs with fewer than 10 students meeting the above criteria.

    2Whatcom County and WA State wage data come from Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Wage data represent occupations that BTC faculty have identified as the most relevant career paths for program graduates. Note that these wages reflect employees with varying educational levels/credentials. For cases in which multiple occupations have been identified by faculty, a weighted percentile is calculated using each occupation’s percentile wage and employment size estimate. Wages are not shown for programs for which occupations do not meet the ESD’s minimum thresholds for publishing. If the program has wage data that involves shift work, these ESD wages reflect the same number of hours used in the annual wage calculation. Starting wage = 25th percentile, median wage = 50th percentile, wage potential = 75th percentile.

    3Additional employment rates are provided for programs with faculty who maintain their own employment records of students who graduated between 2017-18 and 2019-20 and who were employed within 9 months of graduation. Both overall and in field of study employment rates are included, respectively. For these programs, the format follows: ESD rate / faculty-tracked overall rate / faculty-tracked in-field rate. These additional, faculty-provided rates are particularly important for programs that tend to have graduates employed outside of WA and OR. Note that due to lack of available data, rates may represent fewer than 3 years of graduates.

  • Estimated Program Costs

Tuition Fees and Rates overview page

Entry Information

When Can I Start?

This program typically starts in Fall quarter.

What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?

Admissions application and assessment testing in Reading, Math and Writing is required. Your score on the test and/or your previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence. Contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with academic planning.

What are My Next Steps?

1. Apply to BTC and Financial Aid
2. Assess Your Starting Point
3. Advising & Registration
4. Prepare to Attend

 

Classes

Total Program Credits: 40

  • Current Students: Learn how to use this page to register for classes

  • Core Courses for Program

  • AQUA 121Principles of Aquaculture5 CR
  • TOTAL Core Courses for Program Credits5 CR

  • Program Specialty

  • AQUA 234Fish Culture Practicum: Winter1 CR
  • AQUA 233Fish Culture: Broodstock & Early Life2 CR
  • AQUA 235Aquaponics2 CR
  • AQUA 236Fish Culture: Nutrition & Health2 CR
  • AQUA 237Fish Culture Practicum: Spring1 CR
  • AQUA 241Fisheries Stock Enhancement2 CR
  • AQUA 242Fisheries Stock Enhancement Practicum3 CR
  • AQUA 252Aquaculture Management5 CR
  • TOTAL Program Specialty Course Credits18 CR

  • Electives

  • Elective Courses (Select any from this list.)
  • AQUA 131Aquatic Chemistry with Lab5 CR
  • AQUA 141Research Methods3 CR
  • AQUA 201Aquaculture Internship I6 CR
  • AQUA 271Data Analysis for Aquatic Sciences5 CR
  • AQUA 272Introduction to GIS5 CR
  • AQUA 273Animal Genetics with Lab5 CR
  • AQUA 274Organismal Biology with Lab5 CR
  • BUS& 101Introduction to Business5 CR
  • BUS& 201Business Law5 CR
  • ECON& 201Micro Economics5 CR
  • ENGR& 104Introduction to Engineering & Design5 CR
  • TOTAL Electives Course Credits17 CR

Program Outcomes

Students who successfully complete the Fisheries & Aquaculture Techniques Certificate will be able to:

  • Demonstrate competency in hatchery methods and apply appropriate techniques to spawn, incubate, rear, and release fish.
  • Demonstrate competency in shellfish hatchery and aquaculture methods and apply appropriate techniques to raise diatoms, spawn shellfish, set seed, plant seed, culture and harvest shellfish.
  • Demonstrate competency in Habitat Restoration methods and apply techniques to improve and restore habitat, plant native vegetation, eliminate invasive species, and add woody debris and gravel to streams.
  • Demonstrate competency in field research, stream surveys, tag studies, spawning assessments, and smolt trap projects.

Employment Outlook

Fisheries & Aquaculture Techniques Certificate graduates meet the requirements for Fish Hatchery Technician positions with WDFW and Biological Technician GS 3 positions with the federal government, and employment in tribal government, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Faculty & Support

Photo of Brittany Palm
Brittany Palm
Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences
  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

    BS, Marine Biology, University of New England

    MS, Marine Sciences, University of New England

Photo of Sara Smith
Sara Smith
Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences
  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

    BS, Environmental Science-Freshwater Ecology Emphasis, Western Washington University

    MS, Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University

Photo of Brittany Palm
Brittany Palm
Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences
  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

    BS, Marine Biology, University of New England

    MS, Marine Sciences, University of New England

Photo of Sara Smith
Sara Smith
Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences
  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

    BS, Environmental Science-Freshwater Ecology Emphasis, Western Washington University

    MS, Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University

Contacts

If you have questions about this program or want help with the admissions steps to Bellingham Technical College, please email outreach@btc.edu.

Current students wanting academic planning and support, can connect with the program Instructor(s) or email FisheriesNav@btc.edu