Aquaculture and Fisheries - Explore A Career 

• Skills Needed
• Career Advice 
• AF Jobs Sites   
• Position types 
• Where do alumni go after Unity?
• Gift Ideas
• Graduate School Sites 
• Professional Associations 
  

This is a listing of skills that will supplement your college education. Develop them early!

Learn how to:

• Swim
• Lifeguard
• SCUBA
• Snorkel
• Canoe, and operate other water craft

• Use a Map & Compass
• Read Charts
• Read Sonar
• Identify Fish
• First Aid

• Obtain a driver's license; get experience hauling and backing boat and snowmobile trailers
• Learn to drive: standard transmission, pickup truck, van, 4-wheel drive vehicles

Take up a skill building sport

• Fishing - It will help you ID fish and aquatic plants; give you experience wading in streams; teach you about fish behavior (where fish hold in streams, what they are feeding on etc.); and provide you with boating experience.
• Boating - Experience with small boats and canoes is valuable: operating a motor; trailering and launching a boat. 

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• ATTEND the Unity Career Fair - talk with the professionals in your field, conduct informational interviews
• TALK with upperclassman - where did they volunteer, intern, and find employment?
• ASK faculty, and CRC about Unity alumni who are employed in the aquaculture and fisheries fields. Call alumni who are working in an area you want to work; introduce yourself, let them know you are looking for advice, internship, job

• JOIN One or more of the professional organizations in your field by your junior year. (Student and Affiliate membership are usually available for a lesser membership fee)
• ATTEND area, state, regional, national wildlife conferences
• READ Any and all aquaculture related popular and semiprofessional magazines or publications that interest you. If you find a  subject or article intriguing, so some research on that subject in books or journals such as the Aquaculture Magazine or The Commercial Fish Farmer and Aquaculture News etc.  

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• American Fisheries Society Jobs -This site is continually updated and has a lot of valuable job opportunities.
  
  

• Aquaculture Jobs - Regularly updated with many job listed, US and international; easy to use site. List of good employment sites too.
  
  

• Aquatic Network - Listing of fisheries related employment sites.
  
  

• FishJobs© ON-LINE - Seafood, fisheries or aquaculture companies seeking to fill sales, marketing, management, operations or quality control positions
  
  

• Northern Aquaculture Magazine - on line magazine - doesn't have employment listings but does have a comprehensive list of aquaculture associations that could be useful for job hunting.
  
  

• The Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture Collaborative Research Support Program - Great site with Employment, Internships, Graduate School Assistantships, opportunities on easy to use searchable database.
  
  

• State and Federal Fish and Wildlife Departments - links to the websites or federal and state fish and wildlife, and conservation offices in each state
  
  

• Student Conservation Association  Complete one application - SCA matches you to positions with federal, state or non profit environmental/conservations agencies.  Website has searchable database. Positions available for 16, 26 or 52 weeks. 
  
  

• World Aquaculture Society - Select "employment"  they have a searchable database
  
  

• Research Experiences for Undergraduates 
  Use their on-line searchable database to find paid research opportunities.  The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects designed especially for the purpose.
  
  

• Career Resource Center's Job Webpage-Tons of other web links to environmental jobs.

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First positions to look for when you are first starting:

• Fish hatchery near your home - paid or volunteer positions - feed fish, clean tanks, whatever they need done!
• Fishways near your home - count fish (you must have some fish identifications ability)
• Lake Monitoring & Water Quality Monitoring - Many cottage/camp owners and lake associations monitor water quality and need volunteer assistance. Municipal, state and federal agencies and private nonprofit agencies also conduct water quality monitoring projects and need volunteers.
• Public Aquarium - good place to volunteer to gain experience. Paid positions are also possible, depending on your experience.
• Aquarium Store - good place to work to gain experience.

Volunteering even half a day a week for the summer will provide you with valuable
experience. You may need to ask repeatedly before being taken on as a volunteer. 

Remember it's all about NETWORKING. If you don't network how is anybody to know who you are and what you have to offer? Volunteering is where you are given the chance to schmooze with the professionals, use it wisely. This is where a lot of people get their first jobs.

Definition of "NETWORKING"- Introducing yourself to, and getting to know, people who might be able to tell you about a job. "An estimated 80% of all jobs are filled by word of mouth even though they may be advertised." The Career Search Handbook
 

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• Biotech Manager, AquaBio Product Sciences Inc. Biotech Manager
• Fish Health Specialist, Finstechnology 
• Manager, Aquacultrist, Marshall Point Sea Farm
• Microbiologist II, Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture 
• Fish Biologist, FPL Energy Maine Hydro
• Aquaculture Tech, Atlantic Little Neck Clam Farm
• Lab Technician, Micotechnologies
• Conservation Aide, Maine DEP
• Hatchery Manager, Pittsford National Fish Hatchery
• MS/PhD Fish Health, Mississippi State
• MS Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech
• Aquaculture Instructor, Lubec Consolidated School
• Environmental Quality, University of South Carolina 
  

Visit the CRC and get contact information for alums so you can
get advice from former Unity students.

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If anyone asks what you would like for your birthday, Christmas, Chanukah, graduation etc. suggest the following

• Rain Gear
• Neoprene Waders & Hip Boots
• Good Hand Lens
• National Aquaculture Assoc.
• Membership
• World Aquaculture Society Membership
• Reference Books

• Binoculars
• Compass
• Camera
• Fishing License
• Canoe with Paddles & PFD

Need some equipment in the meantime?  Stop by the equipment room in the OAC.  With a $20.00 refundable deposit you can take out equipment including canoes, backpacks, snowshoes, skis, wet suits and much more!

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• Petersons.com -This site will allow you to search for schools that have aquaculture graduate programs.
  
  

• National Association of University Fisheries and Wildlife Programs
  An easy to use resource designed for undergraduate students considering applying to graduate school in the general area of wildlife and fisheries.
  
  

• Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture Collaborative Research Project - Great site with Graduate School Assistantships, Scholarships, Postdoc opportunities on easy to use searchable database. 
  
  

• American Fisheries Society - Find a Graduate School Program- Especially good resource page for students; the Finding a Graduate Program and Scholarship pages are great!
  
  

• Grad School Page- Unity's webpage with resources for students considering graduate studies.

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• National Aquaculture Association-The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) is a non-profit, tax exempt organization whose purpose is to work with all segments of the US aquaculture community for the purpose of national representation of mutual interests.
  
  

• World Aquaculture Society-The World Aquaculture Society (WAS) is an international non-profit society with over 4,000 members in 94 countries. Job page update regularly, some graduate school assistantships listed.
  
  

• National Shellfisheries Association - The National Shellfisheries Association is an international organization of scientists, management officials and members of industry, concerned with the biology, ecology, production, economics and management of shellfish resources. Job page update regularly, some graduate school assistantships listed.
  
  

• The Oceanography Society-The goal of this organization is to disseminate knowledge of oceanography and its application through research and education.
  
  

• American Fisheries Society-This is the most recognized organization representing fisheries biologists. Especially good resource page for students; the Finding a Graduate Program and Scholarship pages are great! . Job page update regularly, graduate school assistantships listed, comprehensive listing of fisheries employment site links.
  
  

• National Marine Fisheries Service -This site is brought to you by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Current news and information; comprehensive site.
  
  

• Aquaculture Web Sites This isn't a professional link but has some links to some great resource sites

For more information about the Aquaculture and Fisheries degree at Unity College click here

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