Fisher

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Work Tasks

• Plan and run a fishing operation
• Get fishing gear ready and load fishing supplies on the boat
• Catch fish and arrange for their sale
• Hire crew members and make sure the boat is in good condition
• Work on boats in all kinds of weather for ship owners, commercial fishing farms, and for themselves
• Work with boats, nets, pots, traps, dredges, tongs, ice, fishing gear, fish scopes, charts, radio equipment; and fish, crabs, lobsters, and other marine life

Salary, Size & Growth

• $33,500 average per year ($16.00 per hour)
• A small occupation (700 workers in 2010)
• Expected to decline (0.8% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: On-the-job training
• Employers Prefer: Experience on a boat or related courses
• Skills/Courses: Courses in seamanship, operating a boat, water safety, navigation, boat repair, first aid, and fishing gear
• Certification/Licensing: Captains need a license.