Fisheries Technician

AIS•Golden Meadow, LA

About The Position

A.I.S., Inc. (AIS) is a national scientific services firm supporting maritime activities requiring certification of compliance with environmental regulations as well as collecting data for use by Federal, State, Municipal, and other government agencies along the US coastline. AIS is looking for a Fisheries Technician to support the For-Hire At-Sea Sampling Program in the western Gulf of America as part of the Return ’Em Right initiative. This Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) project builds on a proven program that improves reef fish survival by combining angler engagement, best-release practices, and rigorous at-sea data collection. Primary Function: Fisheries Technicians will be trained to collect high-quality discard mortality and tagging data aboard for-hire vessels operating out of Port Fourchon/Cocodrie and Venice, Louisiana, supporting sustainable management of key reef fish species and long-term health of recreational fisheries. Time will be spent at the fishing ports speaking with vessel captains, scheduling trips, and at-sea collecting data.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in one of the natural sciences, including a minimum of 30 semester hours (or equivalent) in biological sciences or 1 year of professional biological experience in a field or laboratory program.
At least one undergraduate course in math or statistics.
Must have the physical ability to fulfill at-sea data collection duties, as verified by a licensed physician’s certification.
Must have familiarity with reef fish species of the Gulf of America and basic fish handling techniques.
Strong attention to detail and ability to collect accurate data under variable field conditions.
Comfort working independently aboard vessels and interacting professionally with industry partners.
Ability to follow protocols, safety procedures, and data quality standards.
Basic computer skills, including data entry and use of electronic data systems.
Willingness and ability to travel and work flexible schedules, including offshore and early-morning departures.
Applicants must currently live within 50 miles of Port Fourchon/Cocodrie or Venice, LA or be willing to relocate

Nice To Haves

Experience working at sea or in field-based data collection environments.

Responsibilities

Participate in required training, safety briefings, and monthly program meetings as needed.
Travel by personal vehicle to assigned ports to engage with vessel captains and deploy on vessels.
Assist with industry outreach by encouraging voluntary vessel participation and maintaining positive relationships with captains
Initiate contact in person and via phone with vessel captains and crew to schedule sampling trips.
Maintaining accurate and detailed records of communication with industry.
Maintain clear communication with vessel captains and crew to support safe, efficient sampling operations.
Conduct offshore, at-sea sampling aboard for-hire vessels.
Collect, measure, and record discard data for targeted reef fish species, including red snapper, grouper species, gray triggerfish, and greater amberjack.
Apply external tags to discarded reef fish, targeting tagging of at least 50% of eligible individuals per trip.
Accurately document biological and trip data and upload completed datasets within 48 hours of trip completion to the GSMFC data warehouse
Support quality assurance efforts by coordinating with GSMFC staff and responding to data review requests
Support administrative tasks related to sampling activities, including trip documentation and reporting.