Take a look at Myerscough College’s exciting range of Fish Management and Husbandry courses.
There are level 2 and level 3 (A level equivalent) courses available for either one or two years, ideal for progression to University or employment within the industry. In addition to Fishery Studies we also have a range of Agriculture, Greenspace, Countryside, Gamekeeping and Habitat courses with places still available for this September.
By studying Fishery Management at Myerscough you are giving yourself an excellent opportunity to secure a job in the industry, with our courses covering a variety of topics including practical fishing activities, fishery management and fish farming.
Facilities
The College has access to excellent practical facilities including the nearby River Brock, several top quality commercial fisheries in the local area and the Lancaster Canal (subject to permits), all of which contain a good head of a wide variety of species.
In addition to this the Myerscough Campus also has its own mixed coarse pond and fry rearing pond on site and was recently granted official permission to operate as a fish farm. The authorisation from DEFRA means the College can run an Aquaculture Production Business and sell fish as part of the operation.
Our dedicated teaching staff, along with our superb learning facilities, balance the mix between practical activities and theoretical learning perfectly.
Work placements
Students on the Level 3 Diploma and year two of the Level 3 Extended Diploma have the opportunity to undertake residential work placements at the Environment Agency’s state of the art coarse fish farm at Calverton, Nottingham.
Students attend the work placements in small groups and undertake a range of fish farm tasks as part of their practical assessment work.
The tasks are wide and varied and include:-
• Seine netting the on-site fish rearing ponds.
• Sorting, grading and counting fish using the latest industry technology.
• Assisting with the induced spawning of broodstock fish.
• Feeding and care of newly-hatched larvae and developing fry.
The placements also develop other important skills such as the ability to work effectively within a team, using self-initiative, following procedures and general residential management including cooking and cleaning. Every student is graded on their overall performance by the Environment Agency staff at the end of their placement.
Career Opportunities
The UK angling industry is the largest in the world, with a range of job opportunities in carp, coarse, sea, game and predator fishing.
The rise in numbers of commercially-stocked fisheries in the UK is staggering and has seen a huge re-birth in carp, coarse and game fishing. As a result of this growth a number of job prospects have become available in the areas of fishery maintenance and management. Many youngsters with an interest in angling can now look at fishery management as a superb opportunity to forge a career in the sport. There are also various fish farms in the UK which are devoted to supplying fish stock for rivers, canals and lakes.
Other career options are available within angling bodies, such as the Angling Trust and the EA (Environment Agency) and fishing tackle companies and manufacturers, such as Daiwa and Shakespeare, are often looking for consultants to help them develop new and existing products.
Another line of potential employment is within the media and marketing side of the industry.
There are many magazines and publications that are devoted to angling and these are always on the lookout for editorial, administrative, sales and marketing staff with a knowledge of fishing.
So if you have an interest in fishery management and fish welfare then Myerscough College is the doorway to a dream career in the sport.
Find out more
The College has regular Advice Mornings throughout the year as well as the main College Open Day and Country Fair in June.
For more information please visit the website www.myerscough.ac.uk or call 0800 652 5592, or email Ian Brodgen at ibrogden@myerscough.ac.uk .
