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Fish farmer
Hours
Variable
Starting salary
£13,000 + per year
WorkDesc
The work
Fish farming involves breeding and growing shellfish, and fish such as salmon, trout andhalibut, for the food industry. Some fish farmers rear other types of fish to stock lakes and rivers for angling purposes, or for ornamental ponds.
You could be involved in various areas of fish farming, including:
- breeding fish by hatching eggs from adult stock
- buying in young fish and rearing them
- feeding fish by hand or by filling hoppers that feed them automatically
- monitoring the health of fish
- grading fish or shellfish by size and moving them to bigger tanks or other holding units
- making regular checks on water temperature and oxygen content
- cleaning filters and screens that trap leaves and other debris
- treating water before releasing it back into the river
- harvesting fish when ready for sale
- selling fish to the public and/or trade customers
- maintaining buildings, equipment and fish habitats.
Many fish farms only have a few staff so, managers often do many of the above tasks, as well as supervising fish farm workers.
Some fish farms provide facilities for angling.
HoursDesc
Hours
As fish farms operate seven days a week, your hours may include early mornings, evenings and weekends, perhaps on a rota system. You will normally be expected to work 5 days out of 7 and will be paid overtime for hours worked beyond that.
Fish farms are often in isolated areas. You would work outdoors in all weather conditions, and may need to do heavy lifting, standing, bending and carrying.
IncomeDesc
Income
- Fish farm workers can earn between £13,000 and £18,000 a year
- Managers can earn around £38,000
- Regional managers can earn significantly more.
A house or caravan, and use of a vehicle, may be included.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You do not necessarily need qualifications to get into fish farming as a husbandry person, but there are full-time courses you can take before looking for work, which will give you some of the skills and knowledge you will need for the job. You may need relevant experience to get on to some courses - you should check with colleges for their requirements.
You could complete BTEC Level 2 Certificate/Extended Certificate/Diploma in Fish Husbandry. In Scotland, you could complete an SQA National Progression Award in Aquaculture.
You may need to collect feed or equipment and deliver fish to local buyers, so a driving licence would be useful.
If you want to start as a manager or assistant manager, you may need a higher education qualification. These are available at a very small number of universities and include SQA HNCs/HNDs (available in Scotland), foundation degrees and degrees. To search for HNDs, foundation degrees and degrees, visit the UCAS website. Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.
In Scotland you may be able to enter through a modern apprenticeship. For information see the Modern Apprenticeship website.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Once you are working as a fish farmer your employer may ask you to complete a number of industry recognised qualifications, some of which may appear in the list below:
- Sea Survival
- Emergency First Aid
- Powerboat level 2 or equivalent
- Basic Welding
- Abrasive wheels
- GMDSS VHF radio course
- Sea crane/stability course
- Food hygiene
- Fish vaccination course
- MCA marine diesel engine course
- European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) or other IT training.
Work-based courses, such as the level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in Scotland, can help provide you with the underpinning knowledge you need, whilst developing your practical skills on-the-job, which will help you progress to assistant site manager/manager.
You could also complete BTEC Level 3 Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma/Diploma/Extended Diploma in Fish Management.
You can also study for relevant postgraduate qualifications at some colleges and universities.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
- practical skills like woodwork, welding and basic plumbing
- the ability to work on your own and as part of a small team
- the ability to adapt to new technology
- swimming ability
- business, communication and organisational skills.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM) 
22 Rushworth Avenue
West Bridgford
Nottingham
NG2 7LF
Tel: 0115 982 2317
www.ifm.org.uk
Lantra
Lantra House
Stoneleigh Park
Nr Coventry
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG
Tel: 0845 707 8007
www.lantra.co.uk
British Trout Association
The Rural Centre
West Mains
Ingliston
EH8 8NZ
Tel: 0131 472 4080
www.britishtrout.co.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
Although you could find work at fish farms all over the UK, they are mainly concentrated in Scotland, and to a lesser extent in North Yorkshire and the south of England. Salmon sea cage farms are located in Scotland, the Shetland Isles and on the west coast of Ireland. Job opportunities are quite scarce, with strong competition for the well-established farms.
Other employers include the Environment Agency, private estates, angling organisations, and garden centres that specialise in aquatics.
On a larger fish farms you will be able to progress to supervisor or manager, although you may need to move between farms.
If you can find a suitable location and raise enough capital, you could start your own fish farm. Freelance work could be another option, for example acting as a consultant or providing sickness or holiday cover.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and further reading (links open a new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The aquaculture industry is part of the environmental and land-based industries, represented by Lantra Sector Skills Council, which also includes the following industries: agricultural crops; agricultural livestock; animal care; animal technology; equine; environmental conservation; farriery; fencing; fisheries management; floristry; game and wildlife management; land-based engineering; horticulture, landscape and sports turf; production horticulture; trees and timber; and veterinary nursing. The sector as a whole currently employs 1,126,000 people (approximately 4% of the UK workforce) in around 230,000 businesses. In addition, there are an estimated 500,000 volunteers working in the sector on a regular basis. Approximately 42% of the workforce is self-employed.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms in inland and coastal areas, which involves intervention in the rearing process to enhance production and cultivate stock. In the UK, types of aquaculture range from intensive farming, where fish are held at relatively high density and all feed is provided by the farmer (including salmon, trout, turbot and pilot volumes of halibut and cod) to extensive farming of shellfish, where the intervention is limited to the supply and redistribution of juveniles either from hatcheries or the wild (including some scallop, mussel and cockle production).
Key facts:
- Aquaculture is reported to be one of the world’s fastest growing food-producing sectors.
- There are approximately 3,150 people working in the industry, of which only 800 are located in England.
- The industry employs less than 0.5% of the sector’s total workforce.
- There are approximately 530 aquaculture businesses.
- 90% of businesses employ less than 10 staff, around 1% employ 50 or more staff.
- 83% of the workforce is employed full-time, 13% part-time and 4% casual workers.
Jobs in the industry include: fish farm worker, fish farm manager, fish farm senior manager, fish farm owner/director, fish farm supervisor, marine operative.
National and regional data
Scotland – There are an estimated 2,200 employees in the regional workforce, in around 260 businesses. Scotland is responsible for 80% of the total UK fish production. The salmon industry in Scotland represents 85% of the farmed salmon tonnage in the UK. Within the Scottish Salmon industry, 87% of the workforce is male and 37% of the workforce is aged 36-45 years.
Northern Ireland – There are an estimated 150 employees in the regional workforce, in around 25 businesses.
[N.B. Employment numbers for the following are too small to be robust so cannot be shown.]
East Midlands – There are an estimated 25 aquaculture businesses.
East of England – There are an estimated 20 aquaculture businesses.
London – There are an estimated 15 aquaculture businesses.
North East – There are an estimated 5 aquaculture businesses.
North West – There are an estimated 25 aquaculture businesses.
South East – There are an estimated 40 aquaculture businesses.
South West – There are an estimated 55 aquaculture businesses.
West Midlands – There are an estimated 30 aquaculture businesses.
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are an estimated 5 aquaculture businesses.
Wales – There are an estimated 25 aquaculture businesses.
[N.B. Data derived from IDBR, 2008 and Labour Force Survey, 2008.]
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