Fishing vessel skipper Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

Fishing vessel skippers are in overall charge of boats that catch fish at sea. They work on the following types of boat:

• inshore vessels, which fish close to the shoreline
• limited area vessels, which fish within a set area around the UK coast
• unlimited area vessels, working in distant fishing grounds in international waters.

As a skipper, your responsibilities would include:

• planning fishing voyages
• operating and maintaining equipment
• navigating the vessel
• safety and management of the vessel and crew
• working closely with onshore agents to land and sell the catch
• making sure that fishing trips return a profit.

You would also be responsible for making sure that each fishing trip follows maritime laws and international fishing regulations.

You could work on fishing vessels ranging from small, single-handed boats to large factory trawlers. Most modern vessels use electronic systems for navigation, locating fish and monitoring onboard storage conditions.

Hours

Your working hours would vary according to which fishing areas you work in, but would usually involve long hours, including shifts and sharing the 'watches'.

In inshore waters, you would usually return from sea each day. If you work farther afield, around the UK coast or more distant grounds, you could be away for anything from several days to weeks or months at a time.

You would also spend some time onshore, repairing nets and maintaining the vessel.

Your time would be split between working on the bridge and on deck. You would work in all weathers and sometimes in hazardous conditions, such as freezing weather, storms and gales. Conditions onboard would depend on the type and age of your vessel.

Income

• Earnings can be between £10,000 and £25,000 a year, depending on the size of catches and their value
• On bigger vessels owned by larger companies, earnings could be up to £65,000 a year.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You need to be an experienced fisherman with at least two year’s previous experience as a deckhand to work as a skipper. Good health, hearing and eyesight and normal colour vision are also essential.

To be a limited area skipper, working around the UK coastline, you should be at least 20 years old. To be an unlimited area skipper, fishing beyond UK coastal waters, you must be at least 21.

For all areas, you need to have completed mandatory Basic Safety Training. This is made up of five one-day courses covering sea survival, first aid, fire fighting, health and safety and safety awareness. These courses are provided by the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) and its network of Approved Training Providers.

You may be able to get into this career through an Apprenticeship scheme with a fishing crew and work your way up to skippering a vessel. The sea fishing pathway of the Maritime Apprenticeship is the appropriate qualification. For more information, visit either the Apprenticeships website or the Maritime Skills Alliance website (www.maritimeskills.co.uk).

• Apprenticeships

e-Learning

Alternatively you can start by completing Seafish’s 3-week Introduction to Commercial Fishing course, which provides a basic induction into the fishing industry. For more information on this course, visit the Seafish website.

Visit the Seafish website for more information about careers and qualifications in the fishing industry.

Training and development

Once you are working as an experienced fisherman, you can complete the courses that make up the Seafish Under 16.5m Skipper's Certificate. Alternatively you can study the navigation, engineering and stability components online at the Seafish e-Academy (www.seafisheacademy.co.uk ).

For skippering vessels of 16.5m and above in limited or unlimited waters, you would need to complete a Certificate of Competency (CoC) and pass an oral exam conducted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA):

• limited area - Deck Officer (Fishing Vessel) Certificate of Competency Class 2
• unlimited area - Deck Officer (Fishing Vessel) Certificate of Competency Class 1.

You can find more details about relevant qualifications, plus a wide range of resources, including training manuals, distance learning materials and videos on the Seafish and MCA websites.

Skills and knowledge

• a knowledge of the sea and weather patterns
• an understanding of electronics and basic engineering
• knowledge of British and international fishing vessel regulations
• the ability to lead and manage a team working in often difficult conditions
• a responsible attitude to the crew's and your own safety
• calmness under pressure
• the confidence to make quick decisions in emergency situations
• first aid skills
• a good level of fitness and stamina
• business awareness.

More information

Sea Fish Industry Authority
Origin Way
Europarc
Grimsby
DN37 9TZ
Tel: 01472 252302
www.seafish.org

Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
www.mcga.gov.uk

Opportunities

The UK fishing industry is mainly based around the Scottish islands, the north east coast of Scotland and south-west England.

Most skippers are self-employed boat owners or partners, although there are opportunities for skippers to work with larger companies that own boats and employ skippers.

As an experienced skipper, you may be able to move into related careers, such as the Merchant Navy, harbour tug work, fish farming, offshore oil or gas exploration, offshore energy development, cargo operations or ferries.