B.F.Sc. (Bachelor of Fisheries Sciences)

What is Bachelor of Fisheries Sciences?

B.F. Sc. or Bachelor of Fisheries Sciences is a four years undergraduate course. Fisheries science is the academic study of understanding and managing every aspect of fish farming. The study helps in the investigation of fish processing, aquaculture and fishery resource management, fishing technology and management, fisheries environment and fisheries extension.

This course helps candidates to understand the fishery science that is involved in managing, catching, processing, marketing and conservation of fish. Candidates have a choice of full-time graduate course or part-time graduate course (correspondence or distance) depending upon their choice. The duration of the course is four years; each year with two semesters making eight semesters in total.

Types of B.F. Sc.

B.F. Sc. or Bachelor of Fisheries Science is an undergraduate programme offered by various colleges and universities. The candidates can pursue these undergraduate programmes only after completing class 10+2. This level of the course mainly introduces candidates with theoretical knowledge of the course. The purpose of this course is to make students aware of theories and the way fishery management works. This part is mostly based on theories and practical.

B.F. Sc. Eligibility

Candidates must fulfill few of the most common mandatory criterias in order to get enrolled into bachelor’s degree in fisheries. Along with the knowledge of the course candidates must be aware of the mandatory criterias that are required to pursue a bachelor’s degree in fisheries. Mentioned below are the mandatory criterias that candidates must fulfill to be able to study these courses:

• Candidates are eligible to pursue this course after successful completion of class 10+2 from a recognised school/institute.

• Candidates must fall in the age category of 17-20 years to get admission into bachelor’s degree in fisheries.

• It is mandatory for candidates to have a science stream in class 12 in order to be eligible to pursue diploma course in pharmacy.

• Candidates must have Physics, Chemistry and Biology(PCB) in class 12 to be eligible to pursue a bachelor’s degree in fisheries.

• Candidates must have a minimum of 50 per cent in class 12 examinations to get enrolled in the bachelor’s degree in fisheries.

Note: The eligibility criteria for bachelor’s degree in fisheries mentioned above can vary depending on the criteria of college/institution that the candidates are applying for.

B.F.Sc. Admissions

There are different ways by which candidates can get enrolled into the bachelor’s degree in fisheries offered by various institutions/colleges. Colleges use various methods for screening candidates to enroll in the bachelor’s degree courses offered by them. With the detailed knowledge of the course candidates must also know the various methods by which they can get admissions into the colleges to pursue bachelor’s degree in fisheries. Mentioned below are the different methods by which candidates can get admission into this course;

Entrance exams: This is one of the most popular methods used by colleges/institutions for screening candidates. Candidates can clear different exams and can get admission into different colleges providing bachelor’s degrees in fisheries. The scores obtained in these exams helps students to get admission into top ranked colleges providing these courses.

Merit based (class 12 result): Not all colleges follow the entrance exam method to screen candidates for the bachelor’s degree course offered by them in fishery. There are colleges/institutions that provide admissions to candidates in these courses on the basis of the marks obtained in class 12. The colleges screening students on the basis of the merit obtained in class 12 have various eligibility criteria. So candidates must go through all the details before applying for admission into any of the colleges to avoid any confusion in future.

Direct admission: Candidates also have an option of direct admission into colleges offering diplomas in pharmacy courses. The criteria for admission into these courses differs from college to college, so it is advised to candidates to go through the criterias before taking admissions into any of the colleges that are offering direct admission into bachelor’s degree in fisheries.

Top B.F.Sc. Exams

Central Institute of Fisheries, Nautical and Engineering Training Entrance Exam

Central Institute of Fisheries, Nautical and Engineering Training (CIFNET) conducts Common Entrance test for admission into Bachelor of Fisheries Science (BFSc) and Vessel Navigator Course(VNC)/ Marine Fitter Course (MFC) programmes. This is managed and supervised by the Department of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry of the Government of India. The faculty in this institute is highly qualified, dedicated and experienced in their field of specialisation.

The aim of this institute is to transform technical manpower for the ocean going fishing vessels. They are also responsible for developing the required technical manpower for supporting shore establishments. The entrance exam consists of objective type questions, covering the topics of Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English language. One mark is awarded for every correct answer and for each incorrect answer there is a negative marking of 0.25 mark.

B.F.Sc. Specializations

The specialisation included in overall fishery courses offered by various institutes/colleges are mentioned below;

B.F.Sc. Syllabus

Bachelor’s degree in fishery is a four year course that helps students to gain basic knowledge about fishery and related disciplines. The four year course is divided into eight semesters making it easy for candidates to complete the syllabus. Mentioned below is the syllabus of the course semester wise;

The syllabus of B.F. Sc. in semester seven includes hands-on training in fisheries(practical). Whereas, the syllabus of B.F. Sc. in semester eight includes in-plant training in fisheries management(industrial visit).

B.F. Sc. salary

After successfully completing a bachelor’s degree in fisheries management candidates can start hunting for jobs in the market. Salary in this field depends on the specialisations that candidates opt for. Candidates can get jobs in both government and private sectors after completing a bachelor’s degree in fisheries management. Initially in the private sectors the salary starts from Rs.2.5 lakhs to three lakhs per annum. Whereas, in the government sector the candidates can get a starting salary of three to five lakhs per year. Salary of candidates may vary from one location to the other depending on the experience and field of specialisation.

Scope of B.F. Sc.

After successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in fishery candidates have a couple of options that they can opt for. The first and foremost option is that they can opt to study higher as it helps broaden the job opportunities and increases the remuneration. Candidates can opt for a masters degree in fishery which helps them to land into a higher level of the position in both public and private sectors of fishing industries.

The second option that candidates can opt for after completing the bachelor's degree is they can look for jobs in the field. Candidates can find job opportunities in public as well as private sectors such as research institutes, nationalised banks, fish farms, fish breeding centres, fish processing and marketing firms, food departments, fish disease diagnostic centre and many more. Also candidates have the option of working independently by starting their own fisheries related business.

Top B.F. Sc. colleges

Along with the details of the courses candidates must be aware of the colleges providing the courses. Following are the colleges that provide courses in fisheries all across the country;

Fisheries College and Research Institute, Ponneri

College of Fisheries, Mangalore

College of Fisheries, Udaipur

Phonics Group of Institutions, Roorkee

College of Fisheries, Dholi

Ramdayalu Singh College, Muzaffarpur

Doon PG College of Agriculture Science and Technology, Dehradun

Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi

Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training, Kochi

Doon PG College of Agricultural and Allied Sciences, Dehradun

Careers Opportunity after B.F. Sc

Candidates who are interested in studying aquatic life and looking to build a career in this field or a similar field may pursue this programme. The programme helps candidates to be technically qualified fisheries proficient with adequate abilities to oversee, conserve and create diversified fisheries resources in the country for quality fish protein and food security.

Candidates after completing these programmes have job opportunities in both public and private sectors. Apart from the jobs in both the sectors candidates with the adequate knowledge of the field can work independently by starting their own fisheries related business. Mentioned below are a few of the popular job profiles for graduates in fisheries science;

Farm manager: A farm manager is responsible for the management and general maintenance of a farm. On a crop farm, a farm manager supervises the fertilizing, planting, spraying, cultivating and harvesting procedures of crops.

Hatchery Manager: Hatchery managers are responsible to oversee all aspects of a poultry hatchery. They supervise, manage and coordinate hatchery activities such as egg pickup and delivery, care, incubation and hatching, grading, vaccination, preparation and shipping of chicks.

Aquaculturist: Aquaculture involves breeding, raising, and harvesting fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. Aquaculturists are responsible for the cultivation of aquatic animals and plants, especially fish, shellfish, and seaweed, in natural or controlled marine or freshwater environments; underwater agriculture.

Fisheries Officer: Fishery officer is one of the major occupations in this field . The major responsibility of a fisheries officer is to monitor, manage and protect wild fish stocks, rivers, lakes and other habitats where they live. They also work with environmental agencies and organisations and participate in public education and in awareness of habitat protection and fishery resources. They abide by the fisheries act and other regulations and they protect fish habitats and resources by conducting patrols at sea, in the air and on land.

Fishery Biologist: Fisheries biologists are scientists who study fish and their habitats.They study fish and supervise efforts to conserve natural habitats of the fishes. While other biologists work near streams, lakes, and fish hatcheries to conduct experiments. Fisheries biology is mostly focused on study of the behavior of fishes in their natural surroundings.

Feed Mill Manager- Feed mill is a combination of processes used to produce processed food for fish, animal or human consumption.Feed mill managers are responsible for overseeing the production, quality, costs and safety of the mill which produces feed for animals. They maintain filling equipment and other equipment needed to perform duties such as loaders, scales, and many more.