Throughout history, the ocean has played an integral role in shaping the identity of Atlantic Canadians. It was the mainstay of the first people on this land, the natives; it brought the first Viking explorers, as well as later adventurers, to our shores; it lured the first Western European settlers here with its rich bounty of fish. Even today, the people of this region use the ocean as a source of transportation, recreation, employment, and food; not to mention as a source of inspiration for our songs, stories, poems, paintings and carvings. If you go to any fishing village along our coastline you will see, hear and taste the impact this rich resource has on our lives. No other force has shaped this region's culture and people as much as the ocean.Careers in Oceanography
There are as many different types of careers in oceanography as there are different types of fish in the sea. Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but there is no one definition that fully describes all of the career opportunities available in this industry.
The first career that most people immediately identify when they think of oceanography is that of a scientist. Biologists, chemists, physicists, and geologists are all employed in this field. On any given day, these professionals may be conducting field research on-board a ship, conducting experiments in a lab, interpreting data they have gathered, writing scientific papers, making recommendations to government and industry, working with engineers and tradespeople to develop new machinery, or any of a number of other tasks. While the specific aim of each discipline’s research may be different, all attempt to understand the physical and chemical properties of ocean water, as well as the life within it, the sea-floor and the ocean’s connection to the rest of the planet.
If you are interested in computers, oceanography may also be the field for you. Computer technicians and scientists are needed to design and use computer programs that control many instruments used in research. They are also needed to process the vast amounts of data that are collected by these instruments and that are collected by the numerous instruments used in this field. This data can then be used to create pictures and mathematical models to represent the processes the scientists are attempting to explain and understand.
Many other professionals are needed to support oceanographic research. Machinists and electricians build the varied instruments required. Photographers document the research. Cartographers create maps of the ocean floor using the data gathered. Still other men and women are required to operate the boats and helicopters that take scientists out to conduct research. 
In addition, there are many careers working in government to help create policy, develop educational campaigns regarding the oceans industry, guard our coastlines, and many other areas. Check out the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans website as well as the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and other government fisheries departments in your area for other career options in this industry.
Whatever your interests, consider a career in oceanography or the oceans sector!