Fisheries Conservation and Management students focus on the ecology of fish and other aquatic organisms. This involves the study of their biology and interrelationships with each other, with humans, and with the physical and biological environment that makes up their habitat. Managers and biologists are concerned with maintaining species diversity, improving conditions for declining and endangered species, managing populations that are fished, and coordinating other resource management activities to maintain environmental quality. Some professionals may be active in surveys of water quality and fishes, operation and management of refuges and hatcheries, pollution monitoring and testing, design and conduct of research, habitat improvement, pest management, environmental education, or computer modeling. Graduates of the program are employed by federal agencies (e.g., the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service), by conservation organizations (e.g., The Nature Conservancy), and by state game and fish departments.All programs in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment tend to emphasize applications of ecological principles for conservation and management of plant, animal, and water resources at local and global scales, and solutions to negative impacts of human activity. Students complete courses that provide a foundation in natural resource science, conservation, and management, and elective courses that allow students to explore areas of interest.

The knowledge gained from a Natural Resources major in the Fisheries Conservation and Management concentration of biology, chemistry, ecology, geographic information science (GIS), water quality, policy, and management, forms a strong career foundation. Graduates will be prepared to work as fish surveyors, hatchery managers, conservation researchers, planners, or educators for government agencies, nonprofit organizations, recreation services, or private companies. This concentration is also excellent preparation for graduate studies in fisheries science, environmental science, geography, environmental education, public policy, or landscape architecture.