Check your suitability for a fishery officer job

Find out if a career as a fishery officer is right for you by filling out the following questionnaire. The results are for your information only and should not be forwarded with your application for a position.

Questions

Answer yes or no to the next 18 questions.

1. Are you willing to live and work in remote areas, small towns or villages, or the Arctic? Fishery officer postings are generally located outside major centres and in some isolated areas of the country.

   If you are interested in working in places like the Arctic, you should keep in mind that public and commercial services like schools and stores are limited, as are employment opportunities for spouses.

2. Are you willing and able to work, travel and train for varying periods in all weather conditions on land, at sea or by air?
3. Are you willing to work away from home for extended periods of time? Did you know that the fishery officer initial training (FOIT) is a 19-week program and you must live at the training facility as a cadet for the duration of the training?
4. Are you willing and able to work rotating shifts, weekends, statutory holidays and overtime? This requirement is a condition of your employment and you must be willing and able to do this.
5. Are you physically fit and willing and able to successfully complete a physical abilities test, a psychological evaluation and a Health Canada medical that will assess your vision, and hearing among other things?
6. Do you have the self-confidence to be assertive when dealing with an aggressive or abusive individual?
7. Are you prepared to apply as much physical force as necessary when dealing with a violent individual?
8. Are you prepared to carry a firearm and use it if required to protect yourself, your colleagues or the public?
9. Are you willing and able to work on, in and around water and on vessels of all sizes? Some mandatory training will require that you submerge your head under water and be able to tread water.
10. Do you respect the law in both behaviour and attitude? For instance, you've never committed a serious crime.
11. Are you always honest and do you follow a personal code of conduct that's acceptable for a peace officer position?
12. Are you willing to abide by an official code of values and ethics that applies to your activities even when off-duty?
13. Are you able to testify in court? You have never been investigated by the police or any law enforcement agency for serious misconduct.
14. Are you a team player and do you generally get along with your supervisors and colleagues?
15. Are you able to deal with people in a respectful and professional manner under stressful situations?
16. Are you respectful to people from all backgrounds and cultures, regardless of their race, gender, age, abilities, etc.?

17. Are you willing to attend the 19-week in-residence recruitment training program?

    This includes physically demanding enforcement exercises (police defense tactics) delivered by law enforcement training instructors. You will also be taught to use the issued service pistol and shotgun, and must be (mandatory) exposed to pepper spray.

18. Are you willing to live on a weekly allowance of $350 (less $90 for room and board) during the 19-week in-residence program?

Results

If you answered yes to all of our questions, you may be ready for the challenges and responsibilities of a fishery officer. We encourage you to apply on the next fishery officer trainee selection process.

If you answered no to any of these questions, you may want to consider if a fishery officer career is right for you.

Related links

• Fishery officer work description
• Expectations and requirements for fishery officers