The American Fisheries Society has developed some guidelines to help fisheries professionals remediate coursework deficiencies, a common occurrence for older or non-specialized programs.  Please refer to the guidelines below (a printable PDF version is available at the bottom of the page).

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Instructions: Only two course deficiencies can be satisfied in this
manner and only one in each area (A-Fisheries/Aquatics; B-Other
Biological Sciences; C-Physical Sciences; D-Quantitative
(Mathematics/Statistics); E-Communications; and F-Human
Dimensions.

**To satisfy a single course deficiency, three (3) out of
items (I-IV) must be checked.**

I. Letter from supervisor that directly alludes to specific deficiency and
comments on the proficiency of the applicant in that area (i.e.,
statistics, communications, fisheries, etc.).

II. Add two years to the existing experience requirement (Ph.D. – 2
years; M.S. – 4 years; B.S. – 5 years) for each course deficiency.

III. Applicant must list the following to satisfy a deficiency in the
stated coursework area (Categories A-F). Papers must be submitted with the
application.

Applicant must be the senior author of at least one
manuscript.

A. Fisheries/Aquatic Sciences
A1. Author of two (2) published (published paper, book, D-J report)
manuscripts dealing with fish (ecology, management, ichthyology,
toxicology, behavior, physiology, etc.). At least one manuscript must
be in a refereed journal.

B. Other Biological Sciences
B1. Published two (2) manuscripts that deal with renewable aquatic
resources. At least one manuscript must be in a refereed journal.

C. Physical Sciences
C1. Published two (2) manuscripts that involve physical sciences
(chemistry, physics, geology or hydrology.). At least one manuscript must be
in a refereed journal.

D. Quantitative (Mathematics/Statistics)
D1. Published two (2) manuscripts that have made statistical
inference. At least one manuscript must be in a refereed journal.

E. Communications
E1. Published two (2) manuscripts, one in a refereed journal and;

E2. Presented two (2) presentations; at least one must be a technical
presentation at a scientific meeting.

F. Human Dimensions
F1. Published two (2) manuscripts that must be focused on socio-
economic topics of natural resource science and management,
preferably those issues and aspects that directly pertain to fisheries
management. At least one manuscript must be in a refereed journal.

IV. Letter to the Board of Professional Certification from a colleague
(of the applicant) who is a Certified Fisheries Professional and is not
the applicant’s supervisor that directly addresses the specific
coursework deficiency and how that deficiency has been satisfied.