Fisheries Science

Fisheries Science

Fisheries Field & Lab Techniques - Certificate

Have you recently graduated with a degree in the natural sciences but find it difficult to qualify for fisheries jobs? Do you want to gain more experience with field operations to survey fish populations and conduct habitat surveys? Do you have a passion for aquatic environments and want a career in resource management? If any of this rings true, then the Fisheries Field and Lab Techniques Certificate is meant for you.

Intended for students with prior college education in a related field and/or relevant work experience, this advanced-level certificate skips the basics and dives straight into the technical expertise to design and conduct fisheries surveys with a focus on population and habitat assessments. Course topics include advanced sampling techniques, fisheries ecology and conservation, quantitative assessments, and stock enhancement principles. Students may also customize their certificate plan with several elective courses ranging from animal genetics to aquatic chemistry to data analysis and more. 

Fisheries management is increasingly important as our waterways are developed, human populations increase, and aquatic species become imperiled. Managers seek qualified applicants with direct hands-on experience with the variety of field and lab sampling required to complete robust surveys for management purposes.

Let’s help you meet your goals and kick-start your career in sustainable fisheries. Meet now with an academic advisor to create a customized certificate plan to get you started.

Included in the AAS- Fisheries Science degree

Employment Information

Data are provided on a program (not credential) level

71% BTC graduate placement rate1

$49,303 starting annual wage2
$56,597 average annual wage2
$66,348 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?

A completed college admissions application and placement in English and Math. BTC uses a Guided Self-Placement process to help you choose the best starting point for your English and Math courses. Your selections will determine whether you begin with program coursework or complete prerequisites classes first.

To get started or for help determining your English and math placement, contact the Outreach department at Outreach@btc.edu 

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 122Principles of Fisheries Science5 CR
  • TOTAL Core Course Credits5 CR

  • Program Specialty

  • AQUA 243Fisheries Ecology with Lab5 CR
  • AQUA 244Principles of Field Sampling5 CR
  • AQUA 245Field Sampling Practicum3 CR
  • AQUA 251Fisheries Conservation5 CR
  • TOTAL Program Specialty Course Credits18 CR

  • Electives

  • Elective Courses (Select any from this list.)
  • AQUA 131Aquatic Chemistry with Lab5 CR
  • AQUA 241Fisheries Stock Enhancement2 CR
  • AQUA 242Fisheries Stock Enhancement Practicum3 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
  • AQUA 298Fisheries Science Internship6 CR
  • OCEA& 101Introduction to Oceanography with Lab5 CR
  • TOTAL Elective Course Credits17 CR

Program Outcomes

After successfully completing the certificate, students will be able to: 

  • Demonstrate proper sampling techniques to assess aquatic populations and habitats. 
  • Explain how fish populations interact with each other and their environments. 
  • Design fisheries surveys for monitoring purposes. 
  • Conduct workplace operations in a safe and professional manner with an emphasis on teamwork skills. 

Employment Outlook

Your skills will be ready to use with employers such as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as private and tribal hatcheries, shellfish farms, and federal and private scientific companies.

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

    MS, Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University

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

Photo of Kai Rick
Kai Rick
Hatchery Operations Specialist
Photo of Steeve Pomerleau
Steeve Pomerleau
Fisheries & Aquaculture
  • Degrees and Credentials

    BS, Biology, Universite' Laval, Quebec, Canada

    MS, Aquaculture/Fisheries, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Photo of Kai Rick
Kai Rick
Hatchery Operations Specialist
Photo of Steeve Pomerleau
Steeve Pomerleau
Fisheries & Aquaculture
  • Degrees and Credentials

    BS, Biology, Universite' Laval, Quebec, Canada

    MS, Aquaculture/Fisheries, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

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