Volunteer

with CFI

Volunteers assist us with everyday tasks around our facility. They work side-by-side with our biologists to ensure that our fish receive the care and attention they need to thrive. By focusing primarily on student volunteers and recent graduates, we provide hands-on experience to the next generation of conservation professionals and educators.

Someone who is…
- Interested in conservation, aquaculture, or fisheries
- Willing to get their hands dirty!
- Consistently available 4-10 hours per week
- Vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 and comfortable wearing a mask when necessary
- Weekly hatchery maintenance
- Enclosure upkeep
- Water quality testing
- Assist with animal care and propagation tasks
- Sanitization of substrates, habitat, systems, and more
- Fill out the Volunteer Application
- Attach a resume or CV
- If selected, fill out a Volunteer Contract and a Liability Waiver
- Spring (February through April)
- Summer (May through August)
- Fall (September through November)
- Winter (December through January)
We begin accepting applications ~30 days before the start of each volunteer season. Check back here and follow us on social media to stay in the loop!
Applications can always be found right here on the Volunteer Program page! We will also post on our social media pages and send a digital flyer to local organizations and professors.
Are you a professor or program coordinator interested in getting on our mailing list? Please email Shannon at volunteer@conservationfisheries.org to be added!
Yes! If you're interested in getting these scholarship hours at the CFI hatchery, please consider the following:
- Our available days include Mondays-Fridays (no weekends).
- Our working hours for volunteers are 9am-4pm. The hatchery is closed in the evenings.
- Please contact us no later than 4-6 weeks in advance of when you would like to come in.
- Our volunteer availability varies, and often fills up quickly due to our seasonal Volunteer Program schedule.
Please email Shannon at volunteer@conservationfisheries.org with the following information:
- Your full name
- When you would like to volunteer (approx. dates)
- Your availability (Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm)
- How many hours you'd like to complete
- The deadline in which you need your hours completed by
Please note that volunteering for TN Achieves scholarship hours is separate from being apart of CFI's seasonal Volunteer Program