Working and Careers in Water and Aquatic Science

A fish and wildlife conservation officer, sometimes called a game warden, enforces laws that control the use of our fish and wildlife resources in aquatic environments throughout Texas.

Photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

A conservation officer also makes sure that people who hunt or fish for recreation or who take fish or wildlife to sell do so according to all the laws. This includes making sure people have proper licenses. These officers also work to protect endangered species and make sure that people do not pollute our waters. Conservation officers work for local, state, or federal government agencies. Most conservation officers in Texas have a bachelor’s degree and special law enforcement training.

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Texas Aquatic Science is a cooperative education project sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife, The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. Additional project support came from the Ewing Halsell Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sport Fish Restoration Program. Rudolph Rosen, Ph.D. wrote and edited the Texas Aquatic Science textbook. Videos were produced by Randall Maxwell. Sandra Johnson, Ph.D. served as educational consultant and authored the accompanying Teacher’s Guide.