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What Does a Marine Biologist Do?

Shashank Nakate
The job description of marine biologist cannot be explained in short, owing to the vast expanse of this discipline. However, some of the important facts about what does a marine biologist do are described in this story.
The science of marine biology is related to activities involving study of ocean life. Job of a marine biologist is interesting as well as challenging. These professionals are mainly into research work.
Monitoring the flora and fauna of oceans and publishing records based on studies is one of their job duties. Marine biology is not just about fieldwork, but it also involves a lot of work in the laboratory.
The field of marine biology involves many different tasks and allows us to delve into the depths of knowledge pertaining to marine life. The roles and duties of a marine biologist are elaborated here.

Marine Biologist

Studying different organisms that dwell in oceans, brackish water and estuaries, forms the core of a marine biologist's work.
As the field of marine biology is very vast, think about specializing in a sub-field. Choose an area of interest to work more efficiently. Collecting samples of marine plants and animals from oceans an important task.
Samples collected by marine biologists are studied in laboratories. Based on this study, information is generated and fact sheets are created. The marine biologist job description can be extended as much as possible since, this field involves study of myriad concepts and fundamentals about sea life.

Roles and Responsibilities of Marine Biologists

The marine biologists handle different responsibilities. Study of human influences on sea life is one of the important areas of research carried out by marine biologists.
Data obtained through research work proves to be useful in devising measures for environmental conservation. Study of toxicology is used to study the impact of wastes that are dumped in oceans.
A marine biologist can also work in aquarium. A person with deep knowledge about favorable environment for creatures is required in an aquarium. A similar field of study in marine biology is understanding the behavior of aquatic creatures.
Research pertaining to vocalizations also is a separate topic of study. Interactions of aquatic creatures with their surroundings are an important part of study conducted by marine biologists. The work of marine biologists also includes dissemination of information they have collected by means of research.
Tourism is another field where marine biologists can exercise their skills. They can help the tourists to understand more about ocean species and nature, in general. Ecotourism is one field where these professionals can find jobs. There are different roles and responsibilities handled by marine biologists while working in the ecotourism industry.
Coordinating the different activities like dolphin watching, eco-friendly boating or scuba-diving are amongst the few responsibilities that marine biologists have to handle.

Becoming a Marine Biologist

Those who are aspiring to become a marine biologist should take up a science course at high school. Knowledge of all these subjects prepares the candidate for taking up a degree in marine biology.
Nowadays, marine biology can be studied through a Bachelor's degree program. Earlier, this course was available only at the Master's level. Different undergraduate programs that are recommended for candidates include the following: oceanography, marine biology, marine science, environmental science, etc.
An undergraduate degree in oceanography is the best program that one can pursue because marine biology forms a section of oceanography. Thus, one is well equipped with the knowledge required to work in this field. One should keep in mind that there is great competition in the field of marine biology; getting a job might therefore, prove to be difficult.
Work of these professionals largely depends on funding provided to a particular project. It is important to keep an eye on projects undertaken by organizations in order to get employed. The marine biologist may earn a salary of about US$ 51,000 on an average which depends on the expertise, the experience of the biologists and importance of the project.
This is a brief description of Marine Biologist's role. A thorough research about roles and responsibilities handled by marine biologists is a must before entering this field. Although this job is interesting, it does not pay high salary during  initial stage. Gaining more knowledge and experience is important to earn a higher salary.