Fisherman or Woman

Fishermen or women work on fishing boats such as trawlers, drifters, factory ships or small inshore boats. They go to sea to catch a variety of fish, including cod, haddock, herring, mackerel and shellfish.

The Work

You could be:

• putting out nets to catch fish


• using gear such as winches to bring the full nets back on board


• sorting and gutting fish, storing them in ice and unloading them at the end of the trip


• mending and maintaining nets and other fishing gear


• keeping watch on deck and steering the boat


• cleaning the boat and washing the deck


• cooking for the crew


• using radio transmitters and navigating equipment


• following health and safety rules for work at sea.

Conditions

• You would live on the boat with other crew members, where conditions can sometimes be cramped.


• You may be away from home for several days or weeks at a time.


• You have to work on deck in all weathers including storms, gales and icy conditions.


• You may be seasick if the weather is very rough.


• You would have to do a lot of lifting, carrying and climbing.


• You would have to deal with the sight of blood and the smell of fish.

Getting In

• Most entrants are young and often are from fishing families.


• A good general education is useful.


• You must be fit and healthy and have a lot of stamina as there is a lot of lifting, hauling and carrying.


• You should also have good hearing and eyesight.


• You should be good with your hands.

What Does It Take?

You need to be:

• practical


• reliable


• able to work well as part of a close team


• able to follow instructions and safety procedures


• quick to react in an emergency.

• good balance


• good fitness and stamina


• good hearing and vision.

Training

• Before going to sea, you would attend basic safety training in fire fighting, first aid, health and safety procedures and sea survival.


• You would then follow an approved training programme with one of the Seafish Group Training Associations. This would include on-the-job experience.


• You may also work towards relevant Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) at Levels 2 and 3 by part-time attendance at college or by distance learning.


• Finally, you would take the exams leading to the Certificate of Competency of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
  
• Seafish has developed short courses including 2 and 5 day navigation courses, 2 and 5 day engineering courses and a 1 day stability awareness course. These courses plus the GMDSS short range (Radio Operator) certificate make up the proposed requirements for skippers of vessels less than 16.5 metres. The MCA proposes to make these requirements mandatory in 2010.

Getting On

• With experience, you may be able to move up to ship's mate or skipper.


• In time, you may be able to buy your own boat and employ your own crew. Self-employment is quite common in the fishing industry.


• You could also move to a shore-based job in a fishing company.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work


• the size of company or organisation you work for


• the demand for the job.

More Information

There are about 7,000 registered fishing vessels providing over 14,000 full and part time jobs throughout the UK.

There are a number of important fishing ports in Scotland, of which Peterhead is the biggest.

In general, fish stocks are smaller than they used to be and boats may only catch a limited amount of fish each year. There are not so many boats fishing now and fewer people are employed.

Addresses

The following organisation(s) may be able to provide further information.