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Maine Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit |
Fisheries MinorStudents interested in fish ecology or management and pursuing a career as a fisheries biologist can complete a minor in Fisheries while in the Wildlife Ecology program. Note that many of the requirements of the Fisheries Minor are fulfilled by courses taken as part of the Wildlife Ecology Bachelor of Science degree. Students can meet course certification requirements for a professional fisheries biologist with one additional course in the sciences. The fisheries minor is offered by the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture and is built on the expertise of three units in the college: Department of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, and School of Marine Sciences. Fisheries Opportunities at UMaineThe University of Maine is a teaching and research university with outstanding opportunities for freshwater and marine fisheries education. There are few places with Maine’s combination of 6,000 lakes and ponds, 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 3,500 miles of coastline. With one of the sharpest climatic gradients in the United States, Maine has outstanding cold water and warm water fisheries along with some of the most productive marine fisheries and aquaculture in North America. Maine’s diverse aquatic environment is both an outdoor teaching laboratory and a rich source of opportunities for student internships and professional job experience. Professionals from the myriad of state and federal agencies, public groups and industry involved in fisheries, the aquatic environment and recreation in Maine bring their experience to the classroom and seminars. There are more than 80 faculty at the university who teach in the area of ecology and environmental science with many courses relevant to fisheries biology and management. In addition to classroom and research facilities on the Orono campus, the University maintains several research and teaching facilities throughout the state, as well as a fleet of watercraft. Leading the list are the Ira C. Darling Marine Center, a modern research and teaching facility with research vessels and flowing seawater facilities, and the Franklin Fish, hatchery with its growing capacity for marine and freshwater fish culture. In addition, students are encouraged to obtain hands on involvement in active research conducted by University researchers and cooperating management agencies. The American FisheriesSociety defines a fisheries professional as an individual with specialized education in the sciences and technologies involving the structure, dynamics and interactions of habitat, aquatic organisms and humans. Therefore, career opportunities are varied, including science-oriented careers focused on understanding fish and aquatic ecology, managing fish resources for public agencies, and fish production and utilization for sale by private industry. Some potential fisheries careers include research support for field or laboratory studies, hatchery or aquaculture production, and management or conservation of aquatic resources. Examples of agencies, organizations or businesses in Maine that employ fishery biologists or aquatic ecologists include Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission, Department of Environmental Protection, National Marine Fisheries Service, the University of Maine, aquaculture industry, power companies, and environmental consulting firms. Curriculum
Other Fisheries/Aquatic Courses at University of Maine Note: 500-level courses may be taken by undergraduates with permission of the instructor: BIO 353 Invertebrate Zoology |
