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Description
Example Titles
Classified Elsewhere
Duties
Skills
Employment Requirements
Terms & Conditions
Earnings
Education / Training
Career Paths
Outlook
Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies

Employment by Age Group
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Conservation and Fishery Officers (NOC 2224)

Description

Conservation and fishery officers enforce the federal and provincial regulations established for the protection of fish, wildlife and other natural resources and collect and relay information on resource management. They are employed by federal and provincial government departments.

Example Titles

conservation officer
fish and wildlife officer
fishery officer
forest ranger - wildlife management
game officer
game warden
natural resource officer
park ranger

>> View all titles

Classified Elsewhere

Biological Technologists and Technicians (2221)
Fish inspectors (in 2222 Agricultural and Fish Products Inspectors)
Forestry Technologists and Technicians (2223)

Duties

Conservation and fishery officers perform some or all of the following duties:

Generate public awareness of fish and wildlife conservation and regulations
Conduct patrols by truck, aircraft, boat, or on foot, to ensure compliance with the provincial and federal statutes relating to fish, wildlife and the environment
Investigate complaints, arrest violators, prepare briefs and present evidence in court
Issue licences, export documents and special permits and collect royalties assessed on fish, wildlife and timber resources
Implement and supervise approved techniques in preventing or overcoming damage caused by wildlife
Perform resource protection duties
Gather resource data by making inventories of fish, collecting water samples and assisting biologists in scientific research
Supervise or provide firearms safety training courses and trapper education courses.

Skills

Conservation and fishery officers need the following skills and abilities:

enjoy the outdoors year-round, and have an interest in nature and the environment,
good health and physical stamina,
good interpersonal skills such as tact, diplomacy, and the ability to handle difficult people and situations,
good problem-solving skills,
good communications skills, both oral and written, and basic computer skills,
good teamwork skills but also be able to take initiative when necessary.

Employment Requirements

Completion of a one- to three-year college program in renewable resources management is required.
On-the-job training and courses related to law enforcement and resource management are provided.

Terms & Conditions

Conservation and fishery officers (resource officers) work both indoors as well as outdoors. Physical fitness is important due to the extended periods of time spent outdoors, often in remote areas. Conservation and fishery officers work closely with law enforcement agencies. In some cases they carry firearms. The work can be dangerous.

Most employees work full-time, although some positions are seasonal. All are paid employees.

Earnings

$31,900 per annum - starting

$52,000 per annum - average

$66,800 per annum - high

Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.

Education / Training

University College of the North offers a two-year diploma program in Natural Resources Management Technology.
The University of Manitoba's Natural Resources Institute offers a Masters degree program in Natural Resources Management.

Career Paths

Summer employment is often a good way to gain entry into this type of work.

Progression to senior and supervisory positions is possible with experience.

Outlook

Employment prospects for conservation and fisheries officers in the 2010 to 2014 period are expected to be limited, with the majority of job openings arising as a result ot turnover. Employment in Manitoba in 2010 is estimated at 225.

Government is the major employer of conservation & fisheries officers, and employment trends are therefore sensitive to government spending. The Province of Manitoba employs approximately 140 natural resource officers. Federal government employment opportunities are chiefly to be found with Environment Canada at Riding Mountain National Park.

A proportionally larger number of jobs are located in rural and Northern Manitoba. The majority of jobs are in Public Administration (66%).

Employment by Age Group

Employment by Industry

Employment by Region

Employment by Gender

Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification

Employment by Visible Minority

Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.

Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies...

Manitoba Natural Resource Officers Association, http://www.mnroa.com/
Environmental Careers Organization (ECO Canada), http://www.eco.ca
Western Canada Water and Wastewater Association, http://www.wcwwa.ca