Alex Morris
Valdez,AK
Summary
Professional with significant expertise in aquaculture, ready to make an impact. Proven track record in ensuring optimal aquatic health, maintaining water quality, and managing fish populations. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results, able to adapt to changing needs. Skilled in operating aquaculture equipment, monitoring environmental conditions, and implementing sustainable practices. Strong background in commercial fishing in Alaska as well. Dependable, flexible, and results-driven.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Aquaculture Technician
New Zealand King Salmon
02.2025 - 01.2026
- Spearheaded development and maintenance of Blue Endeavor, the world's first open ocean salmon operation for king salmon.
- Monitored water quality and maintained optimal conditions for aquatic species.
- Collaborated with team members to implement best practices in aquaculture management.
- Trained new staff on safety protocols and aquaculture techniques for improved operations.
- Coordinated harvest activities to ensure timely delivery of high-quality products that meet customer demands.
- Facilitated knowledge transfer among staff members, leading to improved team performance and best practice adoption.
- Ensured adequate feed supply with timely procurement, storage, and inventory management.
- Maintained accurate records of culture data, including growth rates, feed consumption, and mortality rates for informed decision making.
- Observed animals and notified supervisor of signs of illness.
- Conducted regular feeding schedules, optimizing nutrition for growth stages.
- Performed routine equipment maintenance to ensure operational efficiency.
- Coordinated maintenance activities during diving operations at designated sites to uphold safety and performance protocols.
Fish Culturist
Valdez Fisheries Development Association
08.2022 - 10.2024
- Reared 250 million Pink salmon
- Maintained and calibrated YSI sensors weekly
- Utilized Excel for data entry and analysis
- Utilized HOBO Onset software to monitor temperature and otolith marking of Coho salmon for data entry and analysis
- Conducted regular assessments of fish health and growth rates, and made adjustments to feeding and rearing protocols as needed
- Maintained detailed records of hatchery operations, and prepared regular reports on production and growth rates
- Managed day-to-day operations of salmon hatchery, including feeding, water quality testing, and maintenance of tanks and equipment
- Monitored incubation room weekly at hatchery
- Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.
- Worked flexible hours; night, weekend, and holiday shifts.
- Performed duties in accordance with applicable standards, policies and regulatory guidelines to promote safe working environment.
- Monitored technicians throughout egg-take and incubation work
- Conducted weekly data on long-term rearing in Coho facility on-site
- Conducted monthly total discharge sampling
- Worked closely with other members of hatchery team to coordinate schedules and ensure efficient use of resources
Oyster Technician
Taylor Shellfish Company
06.2021 - 01.2022
- Spread oyster seed
- Completed oyster harvest
- Operated boats to move scows around bay
- Operated forklifts to transport product
- Harvested geoducks
Deckhand
F/V Esther C
06.2020 - 07.2020
- Operated hydraulics on vessel
- Assisted with picking fish out of net
- Bled fish and put them into holds
- Assisted with fish deliveries to tender
- Performed basic repairs and common maintenance tasks to keep equipment functional
- Caught over 100,000 lbs of sockeye salmon
Deckhand
F/V Jackal
06.2019 - 09.2019
- Required to stack lead-line on stern of boat during sets of net
- Assisted with emptying out hold of fish during deliveries to tender
- Boat work in port consisted of painting deck/rigging, sanding windows, and assisting with engine repairs
- Required to drive vessel during shifts when out at sea
- Acquired over 300,000 lbs of pink and chum salmon
- Increased efficiency of stacking lead-line during sets
Aquaponics Technician
Washington State Department Of Fish And Wildlife
03.2019 - 06.2019
- Designed, implemented and maintained aquaponics operation for Tilapia
- Monitored and enforced safety measures to mitigate hazards.
- Performed complex mechanical alignments and equipment calibration to meet quality standards.
- Determined maintenance requirements and assigned repairs to qualified employees.
Fisheries Technician
Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
01.2017 - 06.2019
- Utilized Excel for Data entry and analysis
- Conducted thorough examinations of animals to identify concerns such as illnesses, diseases and injuries, as well as monitor and document physical changes.
- Used tractors, trucks, trailers, forklifts and various attachments to transport animals, feed and supplies necessary for smooth and efficient farm operations.
- Cleaned stalls, pens and equipment using brushes and pressure washing tools for optimal health of rainbow trout and juvenile salmon animals.
- Inspected eggs to ensure no algae growth occurred in v-trays
- Assisted in egg-take for Chinook salmon at Samish Creek Hatchery
- Assisted in egg-take for Chum salmon at Whatcom Creek hatchery
- Assisted in hatchery maintenance at Whatcom Creek and Whatcom falls fish hatcheries
- Assisted in Otolith samples of Chinook and Chum salmon
Internship Student
Puget Sound Restoration Fund
09.2018 - 11.2018
- Inspected oyster spat for growth of barnacles
- Conducted inspections using microscope and logged entries into database
Hatchery Technician
Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation
06.2018 - 09.2018
- Weed whacking
- Hatchery maintenance
- Commissary cleanup
- Landscaping
- Fish sampling on tender boats
- Egg take which included stripping eggs and sperm out of salmon
- Maintain holding ponds that fish were temporarily held in
- Filled primarily position of bucking during egg take , required to grab live male salmon and squeeze out sperm so genetics could pass to female salmons eggs
- Improved bucking performance and increased overall egg-take efficiency
- Fertilized over 220 million pink salmon eggs in two week period
Oyster Technician
Drayton Harbor Oyster Company
04.2017 - 06.2017
- Harvested oysters and performed inspections on harvest area's
- Transported oysters to FLUPSY to be processed for human consumption
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Environmental Studies
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA03.2022
Associate of Science - Fisheries Management
Bellingham Technical College
Bellingham, WA06.2019
Skills
- Self motivated and hard working and will do what needs to be done to accomplish assignment
- Can work independently or also as part of team accomplishing goals
- Organized and proactive
- Strong communication skills
- Reliable and dependable
- Incredibly disciplined
- Enjoy new opportunities
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel
Accomplishments
- Received publication for article "Strong Run of Spring Chinook Salmon Predicted" in Whatcom Watch
https://whatcomwatch.org/index.php/article/strong-run-of-spring-chinook-salmon-predicted/
Certification
- Boating safety license - No Expiration Date
- Electrofishing- No Expiration Date
- Forklift Operator Safety Training- No Expiration Date
- HACCP Training - No Expiration Date
- Marine Stewardship Council: ASC Farm Traceability- Expires May 2025
- Marine Stewardship Council: MSC's CoC online training- Expires August 2025
- ISO 9001: 2015 Lead Auditor- No Expiration Date
- Open Water Diver: PADI- No Expiration Date
Timeline
Aquaculture Technician
New Zealand King Salmon
02.2025 - 01.2026
Fish Culturist
Valdez Fisheries Development Association
08.2022 - 10.2024
Oyster Technician
Taylor Shellfish Company
06.2021 - 01.2022
Deckhand
F/V Esther C
06.2020 - 07.2020
Deckhand
F/V Jackal
06.2019 - 09.2019
Aquaponics Technician
Washington State Department Of Fish And Wildlife
03.2019 - 06.2019
Internship Student
Puget Sound Restoration Fund
09.2018 - 11.2018
Hatchery Technician
Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation
06.2018 - 09.2018
Oyster Technician
Drayton Harbor Oyster Company
04.2017 - 06.2017
Fisheries Technician
Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
01.2017 - 06.2019
Bachelor of Arts - Environmental Studies
Western Washington University
Associate of Science - Fisheries Management
Bellingham Technical College