Fishery Resources

The fish and wildlife sciences department at the University of Idaho is among the finest in the nation. With a Bachelor of Science in Fishery Resources, you will be equipped to develop solutions to some of the world's most pressing concerns in fish ecology and management.

The University of Idaho's close proximity to rivers and reservoirs makes it possible for firsthand study of fish behavior. You'll learn from leading faculty in the field and have opportunities to engage in research addressing some of the nation's top priorities in fish health. You will graduate from the nationally recognized program with a solid foundation in biology and ecology, and specific knowledge and skills in fish ecology and management, population dynamics and conservation biology.

You will also gain valuable real-world experience with opportunities to learn directly from professionals in the field. The program works closely with a variety of related agencies and organizations, including the U.S. Geological Survey's Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and the Aquaculture Research Institute.

Prepare for Success

If you are concerned about the environment, fish ecology and our natural resources and would like to make a contribution to ensure that fish species, populations and their habitats are part of our future, then a Bachelor of Science in Fishery Resources is for you.

Your First Year

During your first year, you will focus on the basic biological sciences, ecology and chemistry. You will also complete general university requirements. You may take the following courses during your first year:

• Introduction to Chemistry
• Public Speaking
• College Writing & Rhetoric
• Exploring Natural Resources
• Introduction to Fish and Wildlife Professions
• Introductory Biology, Geology, Calculus and Physics

Student advising is facilitated by faculty and staff members who provide one-on-one assistance with developing your academic plan.

Our program attracts transfer students from across the country thanks to the high level of expertise of our internationally recognized faculty and research. To make your transfer process as seamless as possible, visit the College of Natural Resources Student Services Center.

What You Can Do

A Bachelor of Science in Fishery Resources prepares you for a variety of career paths.
You may become a:

• Fisheries biologist
• Riparian ecologist
• Water quality analyst
• Fisheries conservation officer
• Fish hatchery manager

You can also continue your education beyond the bachelor’s degree right here at the University of Idaho. We offer the following graduate programs in fishery and wildlife sciences:

• Master of Science in Natural Resources
• Master of Natural Resources
• Doctorate of Natural Resources

Opportunities

The fishery science program faculty help prepare students for a variety of careers where they may provide solutions to some of the world’s most pressing concerns in fish biology, ecology, conservation and management. As a fisheries professional, you may:

• Solve pressing issues in the survival rates of species
• Assist with fisheries stock restoration
• Become a conservation officer
• Work in a fish hatchery
• Follow salmon up rivers
• Set nets in high mountain lakes
• Survey anglers to find out what they are catching
• Conduct genetic analysis or take samples to check for water pollution

 

Nearly 100 percent of the graduates from our program find employment in the field soon after completing a degree in fishery resources. Some examples of federal, state and conservation agencies, nonprofit groups and nongovernmental agencies that employ our graduates include:

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Idaho Department of Fish and Game
• The Nature Conservancy
• Idaho Power Company
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• U.S. Forest Service
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Bureau of Land Management

• Improved Vaccine to Help Control Coldwater Disease:  Coldwater disease, the most pressing disease facing the commercial sector of the Idaho trout industry, may soon be better controlled by an improved vaccine being developed by University of Idaho scientist Ken Cain, director of the Aquaculture Research Institute. Cain and his research partners plan to enhance a vaccine for global impact and develop improved diagnostic techniques that will help prevent or control large outbreaks of coldwater disease and subsequently decrease the need for antibiotic treatments. Cain’s research will be conducted, in part, at the university’s $3.2 million biotechnology aquaculture laboratory located at Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station.
• Preserving the Paddlefish: Dennis Scarnecchia, professor of fishery science and one of the world’s leading paddlefish researchers, is conducting a 17-year research program on the preservation of the paddlefish, a unique ancient species found in the Yellowstone River and Missouri River. His research creates summer job opportunities for graduate students as well as select undergraduate students. Field and laboratory experiences include aging the fish, assessing length and weight and analyzing data.

Hands-On Experience

As a student in the fishery science program, you will gain practical experience in setting up transects and fish seines, conducting radio tracking, gill netting and collecting biological data. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to find degree-related summer jobs through the College of Natural Resources employment services. All fishery students are encouraged to spend at least one summer working for a natural resources agency.

Facilities

• Aquaculture Research Institute : Provides specialized opportunities to work with fish farming, conservation aquaculture, fish health/diseases, and fish genetics and nutrition.
• Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station : The $3.2 million, 13,000-square-foot building houses a biotechnology aquaculture laboratory, office complex, six analytical laboratories, fourteen offices, eight cubicles for technicians and graduate students, and two conference rooms wired for distance learning and videoconferencing with the university’s Moscow campus.

Faculty Involvement

A diverse group of faculty offers students an educationally challenging but stimulating curriculum both in and outside the classroom. Students participate in undergraduate research, in labs and in the field.

Kenneth Cain
Professor; Associate Director of the Aquaculture Research Institute
Specialty Areas of Interest: Fish Immunology, Aquaculture Vaccine Development, Host-pathogen Interactions, Development of new Disease Diagnostic Tools, Antigen Characterization/Identification
» View Ken Cain's faculty profile

Christopher C. Caudill
Research Assistant Professor
The majority of my research has used invertebrates as model systems to understand how life history, behavior, and dispersal interact to influence population and community dynamics in spatially complex habitats. Much of this work has been at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (www.rmbl.org).
» View Christopher Caudill's profile

Alex Fremier
Assistant Professor
Fremier received his doctorate from U.C. Davis in 2007 for his research on restoration of floodplain landscapes. His interests center on weaving fluvial geomorphology into restoration and landscape ecology to improve management of riparian ecosystems and flood-prone areas. His research focuses on issues involving riparian habitats, floodplain and riverine systems, and hydrological processes.
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Brian Kennedy
Associate Professor
Fish Ecology, Bioenergetics and Community Ecology of Streams, Ecosystem Controls on Aquatic Processes, Biogeochemical Tracers in Aquatic Systems
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Christine Moffitt
Professor; Assistant Unit Leader, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Host-Parasite Interactions; Physiological Responses of Fish Populations to Increasing Water Temperatures; Specialty areas of interest: Disease Interactions of Cultured and Wild Fish, Invasive Species Biology and Management, Biology, Health and Management of Anadromous Fish in Hatcheries and in the Wild, Aquaculture Chemical Efficacy & Approval, Fisheries History
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Michael Quist
Assistant Leader, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit;Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Fisheries Management; Applied Fish Ecology; Age and Growth of Fishes; Community Ecology
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Dennis Scarnecchia
Professor
Paddlefish and Sturgeon Biology, Ecology, Stock Assessment and Management, Fish Population Dynamics and Stock Assessment, Salmon, Trout and Charr Ecology and Management, Large River Ecology & Fisheries, Fisheries Management
» View Dennis Scarnecchia's faculty profile

Frank Wilhelm
Associate Professor
Limnology, Lake restoration and management, Ecology of aquatic macroinvertebrates, Influence of temperature on life history and reproductive strategies, Predator-prey relationships (invert.-invert., fish-invert.), Nutrient cycling through benthic-pelagic coupling
» View Frank Wilhelm's faculty profile