What does a Fisheries Biologist do?
A fisheries biologist is a scientist who studies fishes and their respective habitats. Fisheries biologists gather data on fish and track their number in a certain body of water. They study the migration of fish and other activities. Some biologists concentrate on one fish species on a lake or river. They learn the aquatic ecosystems for the identification of population dynamics and their impact on fishes. Typically, they work in a conservation center, commercial sector, or non-profit organization or government.
Fisheries biologist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real fisheries biologist resumes:
- Manage detailed GLP laboratory manual daily.
- Experience extracting GPS metadata from photos using the Exiftool (freeware).
- Fix various equipment throughout field season boats, rafts, generators, and office equipment.
- Supervise seasonal staff, oversee the field portion of the budget and preform maintenance on equipment and boats.
- Project require review of existing environmental data, identification of permitting requirements, wetland identification/delineation and sensitive and endanger species issues.
- Authore key wildlife portions of BLM planning documents.
- Result in Neuroscience poster presentation.
Fisheries biologist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Fisheries Biologists are proficient in Fish Species, GIS, and Data Collection. They’re also known for soft skills such as Emotional stamina and stability, Interpersonal skills, and Observation skills.
We break down the percentage of Fisheries Biologists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Fish Species, 8%
Managed fish species of concern on Fort Gordon Army Base.
- GIS, 8%
Created field maps with GIS and Google Earth to guide field crews during wetland delineations and stream surveys.
- Data Collection, 7%
Performed population surveys, data collection, processing, cataloging and analysis.
- Harvest, 6%
Analyzed monthly regional recreational fishery harvest estimates for managers Technical expert for CRFS survey design.
- Steelhead, 6%
Oversee morning collections of juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead at John Day Dam.
- Water Quality, 5%
Monitored basic water quality parameters on district lakes.
Most fisheries biologists use their skills in "fish species," "gis," and "data collection" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential fisheries biologist responsibilities here:
Interpersonal skills. Another essential skill to perform fisheries biologist duties is interpersonal skills. Fisheries biologists responsibilities require that "zoologists and wildlife biologists typically work on teams and must be able to work effectively with others." Fisheries biologists also use interpersonal skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "conducted creel surveys utilizing interpersonal skills, data entry skills, and organizational skills. "
Outdoor skills. fisheries biologist responsibilities often require "outdoor skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "zoologists and wildlife biologists may need to navigate rough terrain, carry heavy equipment for long distances, or perform other activities associated with living in remote areas." This resume example shows what fisheries biologists do with outdoor skills on a typical day: "performed computer data-entry, collecting biological samples, and writing outdoor reports. "
Problem-solving skills. A commonly-found skill in fisheries biologist job descriptions, "problem-solving skills" is essential to what fisheries biologists do. Fisheries biologist responsibilities rely on this skill because "zoologists and wildlife biologists try to find solutions to wildlife threats, such as disease and habitat loss." You can also see how fisheries biologist duties rely on problem-solving skills in this resume example: "identified potential partners, developed new budget initiatives, and advanced creative solutions to conserve and protect aquatic resources. "
Communication skills. Lastly, "communication skills" is an important element of what a fisheries biologist does. Fisheries biologist responsibilities require this skill because "zoologists and wildlife biologists write about and present their research to the public, policymakers, and academic audiences." This resume example highlights how fisheries biologist duties rely on this skill: "maintained open lines of communication with multiple departments, collaborating on study designs and issues. "
The three companies that hire the most fisheries biologists are:
- RResource Environmental Solutions2 fisheries biologists jobs
- KKleinfelder1 fisheries biologists jobs
- NNC.gov1 fisheries biologists jobs
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Compare different fisheries biologists
Fisheries biologist vs. Wildlife division manager
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between fisheries biologists and wildlife division manager. For instance, fisheries biologist responsibilities require skills such as "gis," "steelhead," "water quality," and "data entry." Whereas a wildlife division manager is skilled in "wildlife habitat," "law enforcement," "mowing," and "elk." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Wildlife division managers tend to reach similar levels of education than fisheries biologists. In fact, wildlife division managers are 2.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.6% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Fisheries biologist vs. Wildlife health specialist
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, fisheries biologist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "fish species," "harvest," "steelhead," and "water quality." Meanwhile, a wildlife health specialist has duties that require skills in areas such as "ladders," "wild animals," "natural resources," and "management practices." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Wildlife health specialists may earn a lower salary than fisheries biologists, but wildlife health specialists earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $50,869. On the other hand, fisheries biologists receive higher pay in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $49,758.wildlife health specialists earn lower levels of education than fisheries biologists in general. They're 8.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Fisheries Biologists in the next 3-5 years?
Christopher Herren Ph.D.
Teaching Assistant Professor, Kansas State University
Fisheries biologist vs. Botanist
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a fisheries biologist is likely to be skilled in "fish species," "harvest," "steelhead," and "data entry," while a typical botanist is skilled in "plant surveys," "rare plant," "wetland," and "plant communities."
Botanists typically earn similar educational levels compared to fisheries biologists. Specifically, they're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Fisheries biologist vs. Wildlife biology technician
Types of fisheries biologist
Updated January 8, 2025
