Become a fishery officer

Fishery officers work to conserve and protect Canada's freshwater and marine fisheries resources and their habitat. From boating and aircraft patrols to observing fisheries and fish habitat, you'll need to be alert and ready for different challenges.

What a fishery officer does in a day

As a fishery officer, you’ll:

• promote fisheries compliance and conservation
• carry out surveillance of fishing activities by land, sea and air
• participate in planning, managing and controlling Canada’s fisheries
• act as a contact or representative of the federal government in remote communities
• collect evidence of illegal activity during routine patrols and special investigations to use in court

A full work description is available for fishery officers.

Requirements

The working environment for fishery officers can be demanding.

Physically, you'll be exposed to all types of weather and terrain. You'll wear heavy protective equipment like soft body armour (weighing up to 12 kg) while:

• climbing ladders
• boarding vessels
• hiking over hazardous terrain

Land, air and sea patrols may last hours or days, and your job could be spent outdoors, in a vehicle or aircraft, on a vessel or snowmobile, or in the office.

The work may require:

• shift work
• disruptions to your routine schedule
• time away from family and community

You’ll need to be mentally and emotionally prepared to deal with confrontational and sensitive situations, including the potential for use of deadly force. As a fishery officer, you’ll be trained to face these kinds of challenges and be ready to tackle any situation.

Full job expectations are available for fishery officers.

Suitability

If you’re applying to be a fishery officer, you must be:

• prepared to apply force to protect yourself, your colleagues or the public
• able to confront and de-escalate situations before the use of force is necessary
• willing to abide by a code of values and ethics that applies to your life outside the hours of work
• law-abiding and willing to uphold the spirit and letter of the law in your dealings with others
• comfortable with working in remote regions of the country for extended periods of time in all weather and climate
• passionate about the environment and have a desire to protect our natural resources.

If you're a successful applicant, you'll attend a 19-week in-residence training program. This program includes:

• mandatory exposure to pepper spray
• learning to use a service pistol and shotgun
• physically demanding enforcement defensive tactics
• daily physical fitness exercises
• focus, hard work and perseverance

Check your suitability for the job.

Related links

• Fishery officer training and recruitment
• Medical standards for fishery officers
• Fisheries enforcement