Next start date: January 1st
This course is a perfect introduction to the field of fisheries management and is for anyone looking for a change of career, or for someone who just wants to learn.
Register nowWe now have two enrollment points for this course, one from January – April and the other from June – October. However, you can enrol at any point and receive the learning materials ahead of the nearest start date.
If you begin the course in January you will take your first set of exams in June. If you enrol in June your first exams will be in the January of the following year. Full exam details are below
This course is a perfect introduction to the field of fisheries management and is the place to start for anyone looking for a change of career, or for someone who just wants to learn about fisheries in general. The course has eight units with individual manuals and supporting materials and you need to choose to study six of them, though we send you the materials for all eight units as the content is interlinked
All materials are electronic and are sent out on an IFM memory stick for you to use as necessary. We also send reading lists and additional resources to help with your studies.
Assessments for each unit take the form of time limited open book essays. The questions are sent to you via email in the morning, for you to complete at home, and return at a specified time. Please note that they are no less challenging than formal exams!
The January exams assesses the three core modules (1-3 in the list below) – you must take all of these exams.
The second assessments in June allow you the option to choose three exams from the other four modules you have studied (4-8 below). We split it up to make it easier as you only need to study three modules at a time.
All students enrolling on the course will also receive 2 year’s membership to the IFM; this will entitle them to full member’s benefits including four copies of FISH magazine, newsletters and discounts on other IFM courses, products and events. We also run an annual Certificate Field Course Weekend which is held in March or April of each year. This is an opportunity to pick up some practical experience to go with the theory side of the course. This is run at a discount for people enrolled on the course and is a really interesting and enjoyable couple of days.
Please note the start date is only for registration purposes.
The IFM Certificate Course is intended to give specialised training in Fisheries Management for people who want to start or further their career within the industry. Prospective employers may include fisheries, fisheries consultancies, the Environment Agency, water companies or similar bodies. Many of our students are looking at setting up their won fisheries or simply trying to improve their skills as voluntary fishery managers. The course is also suitable for those who just wish to gain an overview of the field of Fisheries Management.
The Certificate course will also give you essential background information and skills to provide an entry point to the more demanding IFM Diploma in Fisheries Management.
The Certificate Course is designed as a Roll on Roll off course, where you can join at any time and then decide which set of exams – the June or January ones – to start the assessment process.
The course is a correspondence or distance learning course. Once you have registered, we will send you a welcome pack that will contain all the information you need about the course, a student handbook as well as copies of the manuals for each module. There will also be a link to further resources you can research about each subject area. The pack will also provide details on your course tutor and module tutors as well as information about the Zoom learning seminars planned for the year and the optional practical weekend.
The course is made up of eight modules which are:
Modules 1-3 are the core modules, these are fisheries basics and vital to understanding all the other aspects of fisheries management.
In total you will sit exams on six out of the eight modules – The three core modules are compulsory to the completion of the Certificate course, and these will be assessed in January. The remaining five modules will be assessed in June, when you will be expected to complete exams in 3 out of the 5 available modules.
Assessments for each unit now take the form of time limited open book essays. The questions are sent to you via email in the morning, for you to complete at home, and return at a specified time. Please note that they are no less challenging than formal exams!
We recommend you study all five of the additional modules as these give you the basics for each module and will help you to better understand all the modules.
New for 2025: Exclusive Evening Webinars To further enrich your learning experience, we’re introducing 6 evening webinars per year exclusively for our certificate students. These Zoom sessions will dive into specific topics, followed by interactive Q&A segments.
Water Quality
By the end of this module you will be enabled, as demonstrated through completion of exams, to:
Freshwater and Fish Biology
By the end of this module you will be enabled, as demonstrated through completion of exams, to:
Fishery Law
By the end of this module you will be enabled, as demonstrated through completion of exams, to:
Fish Culture and Husbandry
Fish farming is an important part of fisheries management, particularly with the restocking of fish following pollution incidents and trying to improve or develop angling facilities. The understanding of fish farming is therefore important for any fisheries manager and this module is designed to inform student about the main types of farming in the UK, and there relevance to fisheries management.
By the end of this module you will be enabled, as demonstrated through completion of exams, to:
Fisheries Maintenance, Monitoring and Improvements
This section deals with the practical measures available to a fishery manager to maintain or improve the physical condition of a fishery and the fish in it. We’ll look at methods to improve conditions for fish and techniques to improve facilities and catches for anglers. This is a key module of the Certificate course as it describes practical measures that can be taken to improve a fishery, using knowledge from each of the other sections of the course.
This section should enable you to describe
Angling and Recreation
This unit is often a favourite of those taking the Certificate course if they have come to fishery management through angling as a hobby. The successful fishery manager must appreciate the different types of anglers and their interests along with the needs of other users such as walkers and boaters.
This module gives you the skills and knowledge to operate confidently in this sector of the industry.
Fisheries Enforcement
By the end of this module you will be enabled, as demonstrated through completion of exams, to:
Fish Health and Welfare
As fisheries managers our primary objective keeping our stock healthy. This not only requires that we maintain their welfare through providing habitat, food and space for them to thrive but also requires an understanding of the health issues that they may encounter.
By the end of this module you will be enabled, as demonstrated through completion of exams, to:
A student who has completed the Certificate Course should be able to:
Not Sure About a Year-Long Commitment and the expense?
We understand that committing to a full year can be daunting. So we also offer a 2-Module Trial. Experience two modules of your choice, like Water Quality and Freshwater Biology, with full access to materials, a course handbook, and a trial exam. If you decide to continue, your initial course fees and exam results will count towards the full course, reducing your remaining commitment to just 4 modules. Remember you must still complete the 3 core modules, so it may be best to choice at least one core module.
The fee for the trial is £150
If you would like an further information on the course please contact Ian Wellby on [email protected]
Membership is open to anyone with an interest in fish and fisheries, their proper management and conservation. Benefits include training and qualification opportunities, events, publications, CPD, the Chartered Environmentalist qualification (C.Env), member discounts and more......
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