I first realized I was interested in entering the biological sciences in high school, but did not focus on fisheries biology as a career until I had completed many part-time jobs and my undergraduate degree. Some of my part-time jobs included: collecting water samples on the Fox River in Green Bay; working for university and federal researchers on shore birds including Forsters terns, common terns, black-crowned night herons, cormorants; and working for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a fisheries aide. The emphasis in my undergraduate program was in general biology with a minor in science and environmental change. After working with the Wisconsin DNR for several years, I was offered my first research position with the University of Wisconsin-Sea Grant Institute. While there, I was responsible for designing, coordinating and executing the "Zebra Mussel Watch Program". The program functioned as an early warning, monitoring, and educational opportunity for biologists and industries or municipalities with water intake structures on Lakes Michigan or Superior. While working with the Sea Grant Institute, I maintained my ties with the Wisconsin DNR, completing a muskellunge stocking project with a fisheries research biologist in northern Wisconsin. After working and interacting with other research biologists, I realized that I needed an advanced degree to progress in the field. I went to graduate school at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. After completing my thesis working on studies of walleye behavior and over-winter survival, I obtained a position as an assistant research biologist conducting a main channel trawling study on the Mississippi River for the Illinois Natural History Survey. After almost a year in this position, I took my current job with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. I had always wanted to work on Lake Michigan and I am very pleased with my current position. The minimum requirements to get a job as a research biologist in the State of Michigan include a Masters of Science degree with a thesis project and an emphasis in fisheries biology or a related field. Your degree coursework should emphasize biology, statistics, biometrics and experimental design. A research biologist should have good quantitative skills, computer skills and technical writing abilities.

I am employed as a research biologist with the state of Michigan Department of Natural Resources. It is my job to create, design and implement research studies involving Great Lakes fish communities. The majority of my work is conducted on Lake Michigan and its tributary streams. I collect and use population data to determine dynamics, food habits, exploitation rates, mortality rates, movements, community interactions, and age structures and to determine annual catch quotas for Great Lakes fishes. I have three main projects that are funded at this time. One involves lake trout population assessments, another involves the evaluation of two strains of steelhead in tributary streams and in Lakes Huron and Michigan. A third project involves the evaluation of steelhead diets in Lake Michigan. It is also my responsibility to provide advice regarding experimental design and statistical practices to others in the state proposing studies or evaluations. I need to cooperate with resource managers and to develop research concepts that will be useful both within and among states and provinces on the Great Lakes. I represent the agency at professional meetings and communicate research results to the public. The results of my research projects will be used to provide information necessary for developing fisheries management policies. After collecting enough information for a given study, I am responsible for preparing and publishing reports summarizing the work so that others can use the results.

I most enjoy the variety of issues that I get to deal with on a daily basis. I also enjoy working outdoors, this is probably one of the main reasons I entered the field of fisheries biology. The Great Lakes are fascinating and complex systems that, for me, are never boring to work on. In general, a person does not enter this field because they hope to get rich; you have to really like what you do in order to work long hours for the relatively low wages (20-40 k) earned by fisheries biologists. Most people genuinely love their work and the people in fisheries can be great to work with.

The thing I like least is that there never seems to be enough time or help to do all of the things you would like to do. In fisheries biology, money is often scarce. For some projects you need to conduct, you may have little or no assistance financially or otherwise. It becomes increasingly important to prioritize and make the best of what you have.

It is and always has been an extremely competitive job market in fisheries biology. However, within the field of fisheries biology there are fluctuations in the abundance of positions available. Within the State of Michigan the job market is relatively good at this time. There have been numerous retirements in the last several years and, as people transfer into vacated higher level positions, openings are becoming available for entry-level positions. It is important to watch jobs postings and check them frequently -- once a position is available it usually isn't long before it is filled.

Take advantage of opportunities in high school and undergraduate school to work for or volunteer with a variety of agencies in many different places. Diversifying your early work opportunities will provide an excellent opportunity for education that will not only help you discover your area of interest, but will also look great on a resume. Early employment opportunities provide a chance to obtain positive references from employers regarding your work habits and abilities. Don't set your sights too high; when looking for a job remember that it is a rare person who starts at the top, even after graduate school. In general, once you work for an agency, even in a part-time or entry level position, you will have a greater chance of working your way into a higher-level more permanent position. Don't ignore your statistics classes! Even if you don't become a fisheries researcher, statistical skills are invaluable, helping you understand and do an effective job in fisheries biology.