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Chapter 2, Section 10:
Fisheries and Wildlife Management

In some places, the chief goal of fisheries and wildlife managers is to maintain adequate populations of game fish and animals to satisfy the people who fish and hunt. Tribal fish and wildlife managers may have other goals that reflect traditional values. Fish and game managers sell fish and game licenses and enforce hunting and fishing laws, but they do much more. American Indian fish and game managers would be concerned with creatures that are not just hunted, but have important cultural value. Animals associated with rituals and ceremonies may require special protection that non-indigenous professionals would not appreciate. Professionals in this field monitor and regulate animal populations by improving habitat and food sources and by protecting them from abuse. Fish and wildlife professionals study and may specialize in animal genetics and breeding, physiology, biology, ecology, population dynamics, economics, firearm safety and public relations. Tribal professionals in this field would also preserve and interpret their culture’s relationships with the animal communities in their areas.

Employment Breakdown:
More than 37,000 fishery and wildlife professionals nationwide.

Wildlife Management:
Public sector - 65% (30% federal, 35% state and local)
Private sector - 15%
Non-profit sector - 5%
Education - 15% (includes both public and private sectors)

Fisheries Management:
Public sector - 50% (25% federal, 25% state and local)
Private sector - 20%
Non-profit sector - 5%
Education - 25% (includes both public and private sectors)

Key Job Titles:

Animal Control Supervisor Aquaculturist Botanist Computer Programmer/Modeler Conservation Educator Fish and Game Warden Fishery or Wildlife Biologist Fishery or Wildlife Manager Foreign Fisheries Observer Hatchery Manager Ichthyologist Limnologist Refuge Manager Research Scientist Water Pollution Biologist Wildlife Inspector (at ports of entry)

Endangered Species Biologist Environmental Impact Analyst Environmental Specialist Field Crew Leader Field or Laboratory Technician Fish Farm Worker Lobbyist Marine Biologist or Ecologist Marine Resources Technician Museum Specialist Professor (educator) Aquarium Director Zoo Director Wetlands Ecologist Toxicologist Water Quality Analyst

Salary:
Entry-level salaries range from $22,000 to $25,000 but can go as low as $18,000. Mid-level salaries range from $35,000 to $42,000. Upper-level salaries have a wide range of from $50,000 to over $70,000.

Resource:

• American Fisheries Society: www.fisheries.org/
• American Institute of Biological Sciences: www.aibs.org
• “Aquanet”: www.aquanet.com
• The Ocean Conservancy: www.oceanconservancy.org/
• Chronicle Guidance Publications: www.chronicleguidance.com
• Conservation International: www.conservation.org
• Defenders of Wildlife: www.defenders.org
• Environmental Defense Fund: www.edf.org
• Habitat Restoration Information Center: www.nps.gov/goga/parklabs/restoration/
• National Audubon Society: www.audubon.org
• National Marine Fisheries Service: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
• National Wildlife Federation: www.nwf.org
• American Indian Fish and Wildlife Society: www.nafws.org/
• Office of Personnel Management: www.usajobs.opm.gov
• Society for Conservation Biology: http://conbio.org/
• Society for Ecological Restoration: http://www.ser.org/
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: www.fws.gov
• U.S. Geological Survey: www.usgs.gov
• The Wilderness Society: www.tws.org
• The Wildlife Society: www.wildlife.org
• World Wildlife Fund: www.panda.org

• Back to Chapter 2

Last updated: May 27, 2005