In British Columbia, the College of Applied Biology (CAB) is the legislated self-regulating professional organization mandated to oversee the profession of applied biology.  All biologists working in BC must be accredited through the CAB, and UNBC’s BSc Wildlife and Fisheries meets the course requirements for CAB certification.

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) is “the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to strengthening the fisheries profession, advancing fisheries science, and conserving fisheries resources”.  With more than 8000 worldwide members, AFS includes fisheries managers, biologists, professors, ecologists, aquaculturists, economists, engineers, geneticists, and social scientists.  The AFS offers a certification program that may be of interest for wildlife biologists practicing outside of BC, or as an additional accreditation. Below is an overview of the AFS Certification Program with specifics about applying after completing a BSc in Wildlife and Fisheries at UNBC — interested students may want to use this information while selecting their courses so that they can fulfill the course requirements for AFS certification.

There are two basic levels of certification provided by AFS: an Associate Fisheries Professional (FP-A) and a Certified Fisheries Professional (FP-C).  Applicants who satisfy course work and degree (minimum of B.S. or B.A.) requirements but have insufficient or no experience begin by applying for the FP-A.  An applicant who satisfies course work and degree requirements and has a specific number of years of qualifying experience and a specific number of professional development quality points applies directly for FP-C certification.  In most cases applicants first apply for the FP-A and then later apply to upgrade to the FP-C once they have sufficient professional development.  For more information on AFS Certification see this link and click here for the AFS Certification FAQ.

The AFS Board of Professional Certification (BPC) does not provide approval to specific degree programs.  Rather each candidate must make an application.  The BPC, however, has reviewed UNBC’s BSc Wildlife & Fisheries degree courses and made some recommendations as to which courses likely meet specific requirements.   This summary table maps those suggestions into the BSc Wildlife & Fisheries course requirements.  Students should use those suggestions when making elective course selections for their degree if they plan to apply for AFS Professional Certification. Note that AFS may waive up to two course deficiencies if the candidate satisfy three out of five conditions (for each course deficiency). See this PDF for more information on satisfying course deficiencies.