This Shellfish Lease Technician will work on various phases of estuarine bottom habitat mapping and shellfish abundance surveys in the state’s estuaries for the Bottom Mapping Program and Shellfish Lease Program. Position duties for the Bottom Mapping Program include delineating and mapping bottom type using GPS and related GPS data processing software; identifying shellfish and SAV; sampling shellfish and SAV densities; collecting, analyzing, recording, coding, and verifying biological data for computer entry; operating sampling boats, trailers, and equipment; maintaining and repairing sampling boats, trailers, and equipment. The Shellfish Lease Program allows the permitted use of qualifying public trust waters to culture and grow molluscan shellfish for commercial production.

Key Responsibilities:

• Shellfish lease site investigations and administration of proposed shellfish leases.
• Map bivalve and SAV habitat and verify marking of shellfish leases
• Field sampling and the opportunity to work with GPS and GIS technologies.
• Participation in other Division programs such as Shellfish Rehabilitation and Oyster Disease programs.
• Work includes pulling and hand raking, regularly lifting to 50 pounds, and working in an outdoor environment.
• Use of mapping equipment and associated software, which may include Trimble, Bad Elf, and various side scan sonar to collect, process, and analyze benthic habitat data.