8-hour days: 75%
10-hour days: 25%
In the field: 75%
In the office: 25%
Spawner/Carcass/Redd Surveys: 20%
Weir Operation: 14%
Downstream Migrant Trap Monitoring: 14%
Volunteer Management: 10%
Education & Outreach: 8%
Seining: 5%
PIT Tagging: 5%
Snorkel Surveys: 5%
DIDSON Installation/Monitoring: 5%
Data Entry: 5%
Commuting To/From Field Sites: 5%
GIS Mapping: 2%
Hatchery Work: 1%
E-Fishing: 1%
CDFW is charged with public resource assessment and management responsibilities for native fish and wildlife. Wildlife and their habitats provide essential ecosystem function services to communities. These services provide both economic benefit as well as social and cultural value. CMs have provided valuable resources to reach these crucial societal needs. CMs will allow the CDFW to monitor anadromous fishes across more streams to provide a better understanding of status and trends of populations.
The overall goal of this site is to conduct anadromous fisheries population research and monitoring. Most days will be spent conducting fisheries surveys in local streams or trapping fish at the Freshwater Creek weir. Occasional “office days” will be spent working at the Arcata field office, both processing and analyzing field data. The daily activities of Corpsmembers will be directed by the site Mentor. After reporting to work at 7:30-8:30 a.m., CMs will be assigned to work with a crew of one or two experienced CDFW Scientific Aids and/or CDFW Environmental Scientists. Most field surveys will require an entire eight-hour day to complete. In October CMs will assist with Pit Tagging juvenile Coho Salmon in Freshwater Creek for an overwinter survival study. November through March, CMs perform spawning ground surveys. While performing the surveys, CMs will hike upstream over rocks, mud, and logs in cold, swift water to locate salmon carcasses, salmon nests (redds), and live fish. CMs learn multiple scientific field protocols, such as how to use hand-held global positioning systems (GPS) and electronic field data entry devices. Concurrent with Spawning Ground Surveys, CMs assist with the DIDSON fish camera and species apportionment snorkel surveys and net surveys on the Mad River. December through February, CMs assist with trapping and tagging adult salmonids at the Freshwater Creek weir. During peak migration times, the weir will be staffed 24 hours/day. Therefore, CMs should be prepared to work occasional off-hour and weekend shifts. March through June, CMs assist with trapping and PIT tagging juvenile salmonids. June through the end of the service year will be spent up on the Smith River counting juvenile salmonids during snorkel survey season. The summer is also spent site sharing with other WSP projects.
CMs can expect to learn state of the art science technology, theory, and methods of fisheries science in a supportive and professional atmosphere. CMs will be guided by hands-on Mentors from CDFW Arcata for all tasks for the duration of their term. CMs are treated as valued assets and team members.
CDFW Arcata provides the next generation of resource assessment professionals with the valuable, hands-on learning experience desired by employers and college and university advanced degrees in biological sciences. The team has been innovating and setting the standard for scientific data collection in Northern California alongside CMs for 27 years. The Placement Site Mentors and Field Leader are all WSP Alumni.
Highly motivated
Passion for fisheries and watershed science
Desire to work outside
Prior fisheries/natural resources and backcountry skills experience beneficial
Enjoys working with a team to accomplish tasks