Living the Dream: How to Get a Job in Aquaculture

[Seawitch]

As someone currently looking into jobs with ornamental aquaculture does anyone want to identify any differences between larger scale aquaculture positions and smaller ornamental operations? For reference I will be receiving a degree in Marine Science / Biology, how effective is a degree like this for working in a field like this where a relevant degree is not always a prerequisite.

I'll ask someone I know working in the field (and with a relevant degree) and see what she says.

 

[Chrysemys]

As someone currently looking into jobs with ornamental aquaculture does anyone want to identify any differences between larger scale aquaculture positions and smaller ornamental operations? For reference I will be receiving a degree in Marine Science / Biology, how effective is a degree like this for working in a field like this where a relevant degree is not always a prerequisite.

My top 3 things that make a degree in Biology/Marine Science relevant in any form of aquaculture.
1. Critical thinking skills/science based analysis of issues.
Just like with your home aquarium, reef tank, etc... something will go wrong and there are always ways to do things better. Having been forced to do this at university will help you when something happens or needs improvement.
2. Basic understanding of Fish/invertebrate Biology/Physiology. You will learn things in a classroom that are difficult to learn hands on.
3. Learning about the new concepts on the horizon like sustainability, land based recirculating systems, captive breeding technologies, the list goes on and on. Often at an aquaculture facility they follow a course they know works. They have a product to produce and they know how to do it. Having exposure to these new concepts in University and while you're still open-minded will help you and the facility you work for in the future.
There are other reasons, but to keep this post short I will stop there.

Ornamental Aquaculture is going to be fairly specialized and you are unlikely to ever have a course (I’ve never heard of clownfish propagation 101) that tells you how to effectively, sustainably, and efficiently raise a particular ornamental species, but having a degree should give you the improved ability to learn those skills on the job.
I am not saying any of this can’t be learned on the job, it definitely can. It just takes more dedication and time.

 

[UM Aquarium Club]

I'll ask someone I know working in the field (and with a relevant degree) and see what she says.

Thanks! Looking forward to hearing their perspective.

 

[UM Aquarium Club]

My top 3 things that make a degree in Biology/Marine Science relevant in any form of aquaculture.
1. Critical thinking skills/science based analysis of issues.
Just like with your home aquarium, reef tank, etc... something will go wrong and there are always ways to do things better. Having been forced to do this at university will help you when something happens or needs improvement.
2. Basic understanding of Fish/invertebrate Biology/Physiology. You will learn things in a classroom that are difficult to learn hands on.
3. Learning about the new concepts on the horizon like sustainability, land based recirculating systems, captive breeding technologies, the list goes on and on. Often at an aquaculture facility they follow a course they know works. They have a product to produce and they know how to do it. Having exposure to these new concepts in University and while you're still open-minded will help you and the facility you work for in the future.
There are other reasons, but to keep this post short I will stop there.

Ornamental Aquaculture is going to be fairly specialized and you are unlikely to ever have a course (I’ve never heard of clownfish propagation 101) that tells you how to effectively, sustainably, and efficiently raise a particular ornamental species, but having a degree should give you the improved ability to learn those skills on the job.
I am not saying any of this can’t be learned on the job, it definitely can. It just takes more dedication and time.

Thanks for the perspective. Agreed about how specialized propagation can be and that most courses will give a cursory overview of the big picture for aquaculture rather than specific methods. Hopefully I can work into a position to be able to give some feedback in the future.

 

[Lasse]

I have been in that situation that I have hire people to work in aquaculture

My list pr1ority have always been

Aquarist for many years and known biological/technical education/skills. Not born with the thumb in the middle of the hand
Farmer or other experiences in animal husbandry and known biological/technical education/skills. Not born with the thumb in the middle of the hand
Aquarist with proven knowledge of raising fish and invertebrates. Open minded and not born with the thumb in the middle of the hand
Farmer or other experiences in animal husbandry. Open minded and not born with the thumb in the middle of the hand
Known biological/technical education/skills. Not born with the thumb in the middle of the hand
Not born with the thumb in the middle of the hand
Known biological/technical education/skills.

If you should work with raising fry from marine species you need patience, accuracy, stubbornness, stand out with boring and uniform work and ability to clean. And in this moment - think outside the box. It can be a very thin wall between success and failure. You need to be a good farmer of tiny food too.

What I´m try to say - I do not think that a scientist automatically will be a good fish farmer.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[fish farmer]

As someone currently looking into jobs with ornamental aquaculture does anyone want to identify any differences between larger scale aquaculture positions and smaller ornamental operations? For reference I will be receiving a degree in Marine Science / Biology, how effective is a degree like this for working in a field like this where a relevant degree is not always a prerequisite.

A college student who worked for me a couple of summers ago, who wasn't necessarily wanting to be a hatchery worker, just took a job in an Alaska hatchery. She has a bachelors in biology/natural sciences. She worked at my hatchery for a summer, went back to school to graduate, worked with state biologists this summer doing fisheries surveys as a technician. She'll be flying off to Alaska in mid January.

I know another individual from the same school who worked as a summer fisheries technician, then we kept him on as a culturist short term, then an position opened up and he was a full time culturist. We just lost him to a Federal hatchery job that opened up.

When I was finishing up my undergrad in Aquaculture and Fisheries(I'll be honest, at that point I had very little experience, except for keeping aquariums and basic book knowledge....it was a piece of paper saying I liked working with aquatic animals), there was an opening at Sea Critters at a brine shrimp hatchery in the Florida Keys, they were interested in me for an entry level job, but I still had to finish up a few summer classes.

I went to school with another individual who shared interest in ornamental fish propagation. He was going for the same degree, I'm not sure if he got an advanced degree or not. He wound up working at a Kona, HI facility which raised clownfish and dottybacks. He then came back to the mainland and worked at Aquatic Ecosystems, prior to it becoming Pentair. Now he has moved back out to Hawaii and working at the University of Hilo, I think in a similar aquatic role.

I think the biggest take away is...who you will be up against in a interview? If you are applying for an aquaculture position and you're the person with not the best schooling, but better experience, you may get better points in the interview than someone who may have the better degree, but no experience.

I know someone with an associates degree and lots of aquaculture experience who was usually not the top pick for jobs, but was hired because others with better experience backed out at the last minute.

I work with several people who weren't majoring in aquaculture, but are in aquaculture careers.

 

[fish farmer]

As someone currently looking into jobs with ornamental aquaculture does anyone want to identify any differences between larger scale aquaculture positions and smaller ornamental operations?

I'll try to answer this the best I can.

Large scale operations and small scale operations are similar with regard to the biology, aquatic things need water, feed, and filtration.

A larger operation will probably have bigger pumps, larger filtration, possibly more automation and more staff. There may even be dedicated staff for certain operations, like just maintenance or monitoring waste water equipment. With the addition of equipment also comes higher risks of equipment failure and the need for good emergency backups. There may even be dedicated office staff just for taking orders or managing finances.

A small scale operation may still have the equipment, filtration, etc as a large operation, but it may be easier to manage due to a smaller size, being able to change out equipment manually rather than having to contract a company to change out a large piece of equipment. I worked at one facility where in case of a power crisis we only had to shut off one valve supplying water to the hatchery. The smaller operations I've worked at tend to be more DIY, you can usually fabricate and plumb things without needing an engineer or contractor. Most all duties seem to fall on all the staff at small facilities. If you are lucky, one person is good with working with equipment, one person is good with the numbers, one person is good with building stuff and the manager is good at coordinating the staff.