Creel Survey Field Tech for Fish Conservation (Seasonal)

State of Washington; Dayton (WA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Creel Surveyor with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife in Dayton conducts creel surveys to monitor Snake River fisheries and collect biological data from Chinook and steelhead. The role supports harvest estimates and wild fish impacts, working in field and office settings.

Typical duties include identifying fish species, recording measurements, tagging verification, data entry in Office programs, and maintaining field equipment while traveling extensively in remote river areas.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or GED with one year of high school science and two years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1 or equivalent.
• Alternative: one year of high school science plus two years of lab/field experience as an assistant to a professional in biology or related field.

Responsibilities

• Conduct creel surveys for steelhead, spring Chinook, and fall Chinook fisheries.
• Identify fish species found in southeast Washington.
• Collect biological data and samples on fish species (sex, length, marks, origin, scales, genetic samples).
• Scan fish for coded wire tags (CWT) or PIT tags and recover/read CWTs.
• Record and tabulate all survey data accurately.
• Enter data into multiple data sets using Microsoft Office programs.
• Maintain equipment and tools to ensure proper function and safety.

Skills

Data collection

Species identification

Biology concepts

Microsoft Office

Field data entry

Vehicle operation

Education

High school diploma or GED + 1 year science + 2 years experience

High school diploma or GED + 1 year science + 2 years lab/field experience as assistant to a biologist/chemist/zoologist

Tools

CWT readers

PIT tag readers

Cameras

Job description

Creel Surveyor with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife in Dayton conducts creel surveys to monitor Snake River fisheries and collect biological data from Chinook and steelhead. The role supports harvest estimates and wild fish impacts, working in field and office settings.

Typical duties include identifying fish species, recording measurements, tagging verification, data entry in Office programs, and maintaining field equipment while traveling extensively in remote river areas.