Fish Habitat Assistant

Under the general supervision of the Conservationist Supervisor, with direction from the Fish Habitat Specialist and in close coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) regional personnel, the Fish Habitat Assistant assists the statewide California Conservation Corps (CCC) Fisheries coordination program in planning, directing, and coordinating activities relating to the development and administration of fish habitat improvement projects for the CCC and other project sponsors. Specific duties include but are not limited to:

Works on other fish habitat improvement projects such as barrier modification, building spawning riffles and constructing fish shelters.

Conducts stream surveys to determine habitat conditions, locates barriers to fish migration, determines accessibility and assesses potential for habitat improvement including, but not limited to, barrier modification, stream bank stabilization, and exclusionary fencing; determines land ownership and secures agreements and permits from landowners and other agencies for stream and lake improvement; organize the stream and lake improvement activities of the California Conservation Corps, uses and maintains electrofishing gear, nets, seines, traps, boats, and automotive equipment; administers contracts for special fund fish habitat improvement work.

Assist local watershed restoration groups to develop collaborative partnerships with the CCC, and others, to accomplish fisheries restoration work. Assists the FHS with project related budgeting, purchasing, report writing and submittal and grant development. Assists the FHA with tool and equipment management and upkeep.

Specific Duties Include:

• Implement currently funded projects such as riparian planting, installing instream structures and barrier removal projects.  Evaluate fish habitat improvement projects as described in the California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual.

• Conduct frequent inspections of CCC work projects to ensure quality control at each work site, including field inspection reports documenting project status, specific details on work modifications to be made, and completing “Project Site Completion Forms” for each finished project; Ensure proper invasive species protocols are observed. Assist with post-project effectiveness monitoring of completed restoration projects utilizing DFW monitoring protocols, and develop specific plans in instances where projects are not functioning properly. Complete biological surveys when needed.

• Coordinate CCC crew activities with NOAA,  DFW Regionfisheries personnel, other government agencies, private organizations, and watershed groups for developing fish habitat improvements. Arrange for NOAA, DFW and CCC access to private and public lands by identifying property owners and obtaining permission to evaluate habitat as well as accomplish watershed and fish habitat improvements on anadromous fish streams. 

• Assist with the recruitment and program introduction for candidates for NOAA CCC Fisheries Veterans program and route to statewide centers for placement. Assist with monthly and biannual reporting for NOAA Veteran program award, 

• Assist in the development of implementation projects and seeking grant funding for fish habitat improvement projects from state and federal grant programs, and other available funding sources, which include but are not limited to structure modification/removal or replacement, riparian fencing, riparian improvement projects such as tree planting and exotic species removal. 

• Assist with conducting landowner outreach and education about upslope, riparian and instream restoration and the benefits of such projects to the community and the local watershed though participation in watershed and community environmental group meetings, conferences and workshops.  Assist in developing collaborative partnerships with landowners and local watershed restoration groups to accomplish fisheries restoration work.

• Plan and conduct training sessions for CCC staff and corpsmembers in watershed and fish habitat improvement techniques and methodologies as described in the California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual.

• Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Participate in professional development trainings, as well as tasks, trainings, and activities that support programmatic and workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion.