Education

Careers in Ichthyology

Education Selections... South Florida Aquatic Environments About the Different Groups of Fishes About the Anatomy of Fish and Sharks How Fish and Sharks Swim About Fish Adaptations About the Endangered Species Act How to Become a Biologist About Careers In Ichthyology Most Commonly Asked Shark Questions Most Commonly Asked Sawfish Questions Most Commonly Asked Ray and Skate Questions Most Commonly Asked Fish Questions Identification Key to Freshwater Fishes of Peninsular Florida Field Key to Sharks Skates of the Western Gulf of Maine Project Shark Awareness - A Public Outreach Educational Program Shark Fishing in U.S. Territorial Waters Most Commonly Asked Sawfish Questions Sawfish In Peril - PowerPoint file Sawfish Informational Brochure - Acrobat file Sawfish Outreach Boat Ramp/Marina Sign - Acrobat file Sawfish In The News Sawfish References Sawfish Links Smalltooth Sawfish species profile Largetooth Sawfish species profile Green Sawfish species profile Freshwater Sawfish species profile Dwarf Sawfish species profile Knifetooth Sawfish species profile Chondrichthyes Bibliography Search Freshwater Fishes of Florida References General Fish References Shark References Sawfish References Childrens' Shark Books Stingray Reproduction References Biological Profiles Glossary of Terms Shark Games: Test Your Knowlege! 2003 Open House Photos Alexia Morgan - Commercial Shark Fishery Observer Program Coordinator / PhD Student How did you become interested in ichthyology? "I read a book by Eugenie Clark called "Shark Lady" when I was around 9 years old. The ocean had always fascinated me but up until that point I had only read and had experience with marine mammals. This book opened my eyes to ichthyology and in particular the study of sharks and other elasmobranchs. A woman scientist wrote the book, which was a bit more meaningful to me being a young girl at that time." What training and education do you have? "I have a Bachelors degree in biology, a Masters degree in marine biology, and am currently working on my Ph.D. in fisheries. I have been trained in marine safety, first aid and CPR, acoustic tracking, attaching acoustic transmitters to young sharks, inserting PIT tags into sharks and sea turtles, gillnet and longline fishing, marine mammal, fish and sea turtle identification, data collection at sea, biological sampling, data entry into a computer database, and sea turtle resuscitation techniques." What personal qualities are important in this field? "I think one of the top skills needed to make it in this field is determination. It can take many years of school and non-paid internships before you actually secure a job you enjoy. It can be easy at any time during this process to give up and take a job that pays more for less education. Individuals need to be hard working, dependable, honest and have a thick skin. Giving your first presentation in front of your peers can be a very intimidating experience and most scientists are not afraid to let you know if your project is not very good." Describe your work and research: "Currently I work in several areas. My primary work is coordinating the Commercial Shark Fishery Observer Program. This program sends trained biologist to sea on commercial bottom longline fishing vessels that target large coastal sharks from New Jersey to Louisiana. I am in charge of hiring the observers, training them in marine safety and data collection, monitoring the database, which houses all of the information they collect at sea, and assigning them to vessels. In addition I help write final reports for the granting agency, write proposals for funding and analyze the data for publications. My other position in the office is as an assistant for the International Shark Attack File, which house information on all known shark attacks worldwide. I monitor the progress of data collection and entry, and victim interviews. I also provide information on shark attacks to the media, scientists and general public. Outside of the office I am currently working on my Ph.D. in fisheries. I am using statistical modeling as an approach to determine the effects of time area closures and gear modifications on the dusky shark population of the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean. This mostly involves quantitative skills, an understanding of the dusky shark population and factors that effect this species vulnerability." What skills do you use on the job? "I work on the computer all day long when I'm in the office. I have to know how to use Access database, Microsoft word and excel. There is a lot of data crunching, database monitoring, writing final reports, calling up boat captains to set up trips and communicating with the observers during the fishing season. When I go to sea I collect fishery and catch specific data including species identification and morphological information." What interesting discoveries have you made in your studies? "There are always interesting discoveries when you work with marine life. I have seen some fascinating things at sea and meet some truly unique individuals. I have also learned a lot about people by talking to victims and witnesses of shark attack." What is your typical work schedule? "In the office it's the usual 8-5 routine and then schoolwork at night. At sea the hours are much different. You can wake up as early as 3 am to haul back the fishing gear and be back in your bunk by 9 am for a short nap. Working at sea is much more strenuous and the hours you are working vary drastically depending on the fishing gear being used and the amount of catch associated with a single set." What do you like best about your job? "I enjoy "crunching" the data collected both through the Commercial Shark Fishery Observer Program and the International Shark Attack File. However I also enjoy going out to sea, but this has happened much less frequently since I went back to school." Does this profession require any travel? "I get to travel several times a year for my job. This is usually to attend meetings, conferences and training sessions. Its one of the better perks about working in observer programs, everyone loves to travel so there are usually a few meetings in different locations every year." What is the general salary range for someone in your position? "For a coordinator in an observer program a salary can range from $30-45k/year. As you become more involved in the observer programs and take on more responsibility in the development of the program etc you can increase your salary." How long have you been an ichthyologist? "I'm not really sure how to define that. I've been reading and studying fish on my own since I was young but never really did anything with scientists until I graduated from college." Is it difficult to find a job in ichthyology? "If you do not have a specific animal you want to work with it is a lot easier to find a job. If you only want to work with sharks or gobies for example, you will be limiting your job options. There are a lot of research assistant jobs, observer positions etc. for recent college graduates. As you narrow your interest level you begin to lose job opportunities but gain the possibility to work on some really unique and interesting projects as you gain more skills." Have you ever considered a career in a different field? "Only on really bad days and not for very long. While I have never changed my mind on working with sharks, my area of research has changed from behavior to genetics to fisheries management. The most difficult thing for me was finding out exactly what it was about sharks I wanted to study. I found the solution was trying out several different areas before I determined exactly what type of research suited my skills and interests." Do you ever go fishing in your free time? "I'm a vegetarian."