Marine Biologist as a Career

The ocean is the vanguard of knowledge as deeper as its depth. The marine is so enormous that no matter how much you discover, there is still a large amount of pelagic that will call for your attention.

Are you intrigued by the aquatic beauty of the ocean? Do you have the curiosity to explore the deep sea?

Yes? 

Then anchor your future by choosing Marine Biologist as a career!

From a microbe to the heaviest mammal. You can turn every stone under the ocean and study every creature and plant. About 71% of the earth's surface is covered by water. With the rise in the population, people will soon be more dependent on the ocean for various resources. They will seek sustainability and reap basic needs through larger water bodies. As a Marine Biologist, one can draw the information for all the needs in the future. 

What is Marine Biology?

Marine Biology is the study of marine organisms and the analysis of their presence and interaction with the environment. The pedagogy includes oceanography in the field of chemistry, geology, and physics. As the ocean is extremely vast, most researchers select a specialization based on their interest to conduct further study. These specializations can be based on a particular species, behavior, group, technique, or ecosystem.

Fun Facts About Marine Life:

• You can also call the underwater world as the world of music because the marine ecosystem is dependent on sounds.
• The longest mountain chain of the world, stretching across 65,000 km is almost entirely beneath the south pacific ocean as the Mid-Ocean Ridge. 
• 85% of the sand that creates reef islands like the Florida Keys and Bahamas is produced by Parrotfish.
• A deep-sea community of the area of about half the tennis court can have over 890 species from more than 100 families.
• Often fishes and oceanic mammals in the deep sea eat marine snow. It is mostly natural detritus falling from the top layers of the water.

Found these facts interesting? You can learn more and research them by studying from one of the top marine biology colleges in India.

How to become a Marine Biologist?

To become a Marine Biologist, one must understand the eligibility, qualification process, levels of courses and explore top marine biology colleges.

Let's delve into the blog to learn about how to become a Marine Biologist.

Marine Biology Courses:

Some of the popular courses in marine biology are below:

Undergraduate Courses:

Postgraduate Courses:

Students can further pursue a doctoral course for research and higher studies.

Admission Requirements for Marine Biology:

Besides passion and commitment, here are the admission requirements for marine biology in India:

Educational Qualification:

• Candidates must have completed 10+2 in the science stream with biology as one of the subjects from a recognized board.
• They must secure a minimum aggregate score of 55%.
• Admissions are usually based on merit. However, some colleges also conduct entrance exams.

Soft Skills:

Some of the soft skills that students applying for the course should possess are:

• Observational Skills
• Analytical and Rational Thinking
• Research Ability
• Physical and Emotional Endurance
• Working as a Team

Marine Biologist as a Career:

Marine Biologist as a career can be the best option for students interested in learning about the ocean and its resources. The field of marine biology is vast and holds immense scope to thread a successful career by offering various job roles in several sectors. Many national and international companies are looking for students who excel in skills for marine biology jobs.

Top Recruiting Areas:

Some of the areas in the government and private sector that hire marine biology professionals are:

1. Marine Laboratories
2. Coastal Authorities
3. Environmental Laboratories
4. Aquatic Industry
5. Fishery Tourism Industry, etc.

They can also work in museums, large aquariums, zoos, conservative centers, specialized TV channels for flora and fauna, research magazines, and universities.

Marine Biology Jobs:

Passionate and qualified students can work under job roles like:

• Aquatic Biologist
• Conservation Biologist
• Wild Biologist
• Fisheries Biologist
• Fish and Wildlife Biologist
• Zoologist
• Biologist Technician, etc.

Marine biologists have also started working as freelancers where they sell their research information to organizations.

Marine Biologist Salary:

The average annual starting salary of a marine biologist in India is between INR 4.2 and  5 Lakhs. Foreign companies offer a starting package ranging between INR 9 and 12 Lakhs.

Roles of Marine Biologists:

Several responsibilities have to be fulfilled by candidates pursuing a job in marine biology. Here are a few important roles:

• Marine Biologists study the ocean and its organisms from microscopic plankton to a whale. 
• They research the nature, physiological processes, diseases, living conditions of several marine species in animals and plants.
• They examine the effects of human activities on the marine environment and vice versa.
• Collecting the samples and scrutinizing them to derive information about aquatic species in plants and animals is also a part of marine biology jobs.

Scope as a Marine Biologist:

The scope as a marine biologist is bright. Here are the reasons why:

• The field of science in marine is growing broader in India, increasing its scope and job options in various specializations.
• Students gain boundless learning as the domain is vast and offers numerous research opportunities on several topics.
• They get to experience the thrill of adventure at work as research of marine plants and animals are found to be interesting by passionate Marine Biologists
• It also offers sustainability as there is a constant need for qualified marine biologists to develop the data and provide new information.

Top 10 Marine Biology Colleges in India:

Here is the list of the top 10 Colleges that offer courses in marine biology

• Annamalai University (AU), Chidambaram
• Pondicherry University (PU), Pondicherry
• Shivaji University (SUK), Kolhapur
• NITTE (Deemed-to-be-University), Mangalore
• Academy of Maritime Education and Training University (AMET), Chennai
• Gujarat Maritime University (GMU), Gandhinagar
• Andhra University, College of Science & Technology, Visakhapatnam
• Vikrama Simhapuri University (VSU), Nellore
• Goa University, North Goa
• Berhampur University, Berhampur

Key Takeaway:

Dive into a career that is extremely interesting and financially rewarding. Feed your curiosity regarding the ocean by enrolling in top marine biology courses. Study from a top college in India to conduct innovative research, gain high-quality education, and stand out in a competitive field. Contribute to the world with your research in marine and let mankind and the ocean thank you.