Fishermen/women
Fishermen/women operate fishing vessels less than 100 gross tonnes to pursue and land fish and other marine life.
Moderate
Market Demand
TEER 3
Skill Level
NL, PE, NS
Top Provinces
What They Do
- Operate fishing vessel to pursue and catch fish and other marine life
- Select area for fishing, plot courses and compute navigational positions using compasses and charts or electronic fishing aids
- Steer vessel and operate navigational instruments
- Operate fishing gear, direct fishing operation and supervise fishing crew members
- Maintain engine, fishing gear and other on-board equipment
- Record fishing activities, weather and sea conditions
- Estimate costs of operations and plan budget for each fishing season
- Establish fish marketing plan and keep records of all financial transactions
- May transport fish to processing plants or fish buyers.
Qualifications
- checkSeveral years of experience as fishing vessel crew member or helper are usually required.
- checkMarine Emergency Duties Certificate is required by Transport Canada.
- checkA valid Fishing Vessel Operator Certificate is required.
- checkA commercial fishing licence is required.
- checkLicences are required for each species of fish pursued.
- checkTrade certification for fish harvesters is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Market Outlook by Province
Newfoundland and Labrador
The employment outlook will be Moderate for fishermen/women (NOC 83121) in Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment decline will lead to the loss of a few positions.Several positions will become available due to retirements.There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.Due to the seasonal nature of this occupation, employment opportunities may vary depending on the time of the year.Here are some key facts about fishermen/women in Newfoundland and Labrador: Approximately 2,200 people work in this occupation. Fishermen/women mainly work in the following sectors: Fishing, hunting and trapping (NAICS 114): 68%Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 28% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 83% compared to 83% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 17% compared to 17% for all occupationsThe gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 77% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 23% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: 37% compared to 11% for all occupations high school diploma or equivalent: 35% compared to 27% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 15% compared to 17% for all occupations college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 11% compared to 23% for all occupations bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 14% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 7% for all occupations
Moderate
Outlook
Prince Edward Island
The employment outlook will be Limited for fishermen/women (NOC 83121) in Prince Edward Island for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.Several positions will become available due to retirements.There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.Due to the seasonal nature of this occupation, employment opportunities may vary depending on the time of the year.Here are some key facts about fishermen/women in Prince Edward Island: Approximately 1,550 people work in this occupation. Fishermen/women mainly work in the following sectors: Fishing, hunting and trapping (NAICS 114): 75%Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 25% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 92% compared to 84% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 8% compared to 16% for all occupationsThe gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 78% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 22% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: 30% compared to 11% for all occupations high school diploma or equivalent: 45% compared to 28% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 9% compared to 11% for all occupations college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 13% compared to 25% for all occupations bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
Limited
Outlook
Nova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Limited for fishermen/women (NOC 83121) in Nova Scotia for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.Due to the seasonal nature of this occupation, employment opportunities may vary depending on the time of the year.Here are some key facts about fishermen/women in Nova Scotia: Approximately 3,750 people work in this occupation. Fishermen/women mainly work in the following sectors: Fishing, hunting and trapping (NAICS 114): 84%Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 12% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 92% compared to 82% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 8% compared to 18% for all occupations11% of fishermen/women work all year, while 89% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 24 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.The gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 90% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 10% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: 38% compared to 10% for all occupations high school diploma or equivalent: 37% compared to 27% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 13% compared to 12% for all occupations college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 9% compared to 22% for all occupations bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 20% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
Limited
Outlook
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Immigration Pathways
TEER 3 occupations require college or vocational training and qualify for Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Express Entry (FSTP)
Canadian Experience Class
Provincial Nominee Programs
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Search Fishermen/womenarrow_forwardCore Competencies
Operation and Control
to navigate the vessel, deploy fishing gear and manage catches efficiently
Preventative Maintenance
to maintain the vessel and equipment by regularly checking and servicing equipment to prevent breakdowns and ensure reliability
Far Vision
to spot and track marine life, navigate safely and detect potential hazards from a distance
Static Strength
to handle and move heavy fishing gear and equipment, such as nets and lines that may contain fish
Independence
to adapt to changing conditions at sea, manage tasks effectively without constant supervision and maintaining self-sufficiency during extended periods away from shore
Knowledge in Livestock, Farm Animals & Wildlife
to understand fish activities to target specific fish, comply with fishing regulations and prevent overfishing of species
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