Angling Trust Vacancies
Volunteering Opportunities: Catchwise Citizen Scientist Team
Want to give back to your community, learn about your coastline and meet interesting people? Then join the Catchwise Volunteer Citizen Scientist team today!
Catchwise is an exciting new survey of sea angling taking place across England and Wales in 2023 and 2024. The first of its kind in over a decade! The project aims to collect important insights into recreational sea fishing – both along the shore and at sea. It will involve a major shore and private boat survey of sea anglers as well as a survey of charter boats.
Volunteers will contribute to field surveys to record data from sea anglers to understand who takes part in angling, how often they do it what type of fishing they do, what they catch, and how valuable sea angling is to local communities. Data collection will cover days spent at sea, targeted and landed species, retained fish, the socio-economic benefits of angling, and the positive health effects associated with it.
Catchwise is made possible by our team of dedicated Volunteer Angling Citizen Scientists.
By signing up to be a volunteer citizen scientist you can get involved with this ground-breaking project and make a positive difference to sea angling along our coastline.
Volunteers must be over 18 years old, and will receive training on conducting surveys while guidance and support will be provided throughout the duration of the project. The average commitment for volunteers is 4 hours per month, which equates to one survey per month.
As a Citizen Scientist you would have the flexibility to engage at your own convenience whenever you have free time. Volunteers receive a list of sites in their chosen area and choose when to conduct the surveys.
Volunteers will enjoy various perks, including monthly prize draws, goodies, access to social media groups with fellow volunteers, a welcome pack, and a certificate recognising their contribution to the project. This certificate could be a valuable addition to the CVs of students studying marine-related fields or early career professionals.
If you’re interested in volunteering and have access to the coast in England and Wales, please express your interest by visiting smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CatchwiseVolunteers.
Here’s what we’re looking for in volunteers:
- Availability for at least 4 hours per month (there’s no upper limit), between October 2023 – July 2024
- Confidence in engaging with the public
- Interest in the environment and fisheries sector
- Access to a smartphone or tablet
For additional information or any questions about the role, please contact the Catchwise Project Manager at [email protected].