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Continuous Intake Model
NIC is launching an innovative continuous intake model for the Aquaculture Technician Diploma program. Learners will work at their own pace with access to faculty support and online discussions. Working with an NIC Educational Advisor Advisor, learners will prepare a student learning plan to map out a personalized course schedule.
What you’ll learn
NIC’s Aquaculture Technician diploma provides you with advanced knowledge and skills to support aquatic food production. This includes ecological interactions between aquaculture and the environment from local to ecosystem scales, the operation and maintenance of aquaculture facilities and equipment, and finfish hatchery and grow-out production. You will also develop skills in business communication, technical writing, project management and creative problem solving.
You will also complete a directed research or applied aquaculture project. Directed research will focus on improving specific issues. The research project will include a project proposal, review of literature and recommendations. In the applied project, you will design and complete a project aimed at improving and/or supporting current industry practices.
Skills and knowledge developed through the program include:
- History and current status of aquaculture
- Government regulations and Acts regarding fisheries and aquaculture practices
- Third-party certification of aquaculture industry sustainability practices
- Environmental impact of aquaculture, understanding and monitoring aquatic ecosystem, and best aquaculture practices
- Biology of Atlantic and Pacific salmonid species including biodiversity, geographic distribution, taxonomy, anatomy, reproductive physiology, osmoregulation and smoltification, life history, ecology, and genetics
- Salmonid husbandry techniques and principles including feeding and nutrition, fish health and biosecurity, biotechnology advancements to aid production, and all aspects related to growing the best possible fish from smolt to marketable size
- Salmonid hatchery production techniques and principles to maximize survival and growth during the early life stages, including broodstock development and management, egg/alevin/parr/smolt development and culture, vaccination and sea site transfer
- Salmonid diseases and health, from a holistic perspective of the cultured fish, pathogen, and environment
- covering biosecurity protocols, harmful algae monitoring (HAMP) plankton training, sealice monitoring, management and treatment and benthic monitoring
- Harvesting practices and physiology effects including processing, quality grading and transportation of product
- Applied computer (MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook) and mathematics/statistics skills related to the daily operations of an aquaculture farm, using industry-relevant software
- Equipment operation and maintenance (e.g. zoom boom, basic electrical, plumbing, aeration, recirculating aquaculture systems), wellboat use and design and equipment operation and maintenance
- Business/technical communication skills, both written and oral, as applicable in aquaculture industry operations and in communicating with the public
- Soft skills training related to working in a team environment, managing stress, conflict resolution, supervising others, mentoring and coaching, creative problem solving, workplace diversity, workplace harassment, interpersonal skills, anger management and leadership
- Fish necropsy and sampling techniques
- Biosecurity implementation
- Research protocols (collecting, collating and analyzing data; report writing; and presentation)
Career Opportunities
As an Aquaculture Technician diploma graduate, your skills are applicable to fisheries and aquaculture operations in coastal BC, nationally and internationally. After completing the diploma you will qualify for the position of aquatic/fishery biologist, fish biologist, fisheries field technician, fish culturist, aquarist, fish hatchery technician/manager, fish stock enhancement and assessment technician, feed technician, fish health technician, research assistant, fish laboratory technician, aquaculture site manager, aquaculture production manager, fisheries manager, aquaculture/fisheries sales personnel, environmental education outreach, teachers (for those with B.Sc./M.Sc.degree), graduate student, federal/provincial government licensing agent or fisheries/aquaculture consultant.
Potential Employers:
- BC Salmon Farmers Association Members
- Aquaculture Companies
- Public Aquariums
- Private Fish Farms/Hatcheries
- Consulting Companies (Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Environmental)
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
- Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
- Ministry of Environment
- Fish Health Laboratories (private or government)
- Fish Conservation and Enhancement Organizations/Foundations
- Aquaculture Sustainability Organizations
- Pacific Salmon Foundation
- Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
- Federal/Provincial Fish Hatcheries
- First Nation Communities
- Post-Secondary Academic Institutions offering Aquaculture and Fisheries Courses
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