Tongass Fisheries Survey Team

The Tongass NF Fisheries Survey Team is a 12-week program engaging one project leader and two interns to assist with the Twelvemile Creek Smolt Monitoring Project coordinated by the Forest Service.

The team plays a critical role in all aspects of this project. Tasks for the 2013 field season included:

• Count all salmonids (other than coho and steelhead) encountered at the smolt weirs and screw trap.  
• Count all non-salmonids (i.e. sculpin) encountered at the smolt weirs and screw trap.
• Estimate mean weight and length of the smolt outmigration , utilizing a subset of captured fish to weigh and measure. Weigh and measure ALL PIT tagged fish captured.  
• Determine the condition factor from the smolt length and weight data. 
• Record daily gage heights and collect water temperature data and rainfall. 

Throughout the 12 weeks of the program, the project leader and interns gain a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge about what it takes to carry out a monitoring project of this size in a remote area. The team gets a firsthand look at project management, data collection, and the reality of sometimes long hard days in tough weather conditions.

Trainings Offered: 

• Forest Service Defensive Driving Course
• Floating Screw Trap Construction and Operation Protocols
• Fish ID and Data Collection Techniques
• Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tag application and Monitoring Techniques

Eligibility Requirements: 

Applicants must be 18 years of age and must pass a background check. A background or interest in Fisheries work is preferred, but not required. This team works in remote areas in the Twelvemile Creek Watershed, so the ability to be comfortable without many modern conveniences like cell phones, internet, and conventional kitchens is a must.