Being a fisher means you spend your days catching fish from the sea, rivers, or lakes. You might work on a big boat out in the ocean for many days, or on a smaller boat closer to the coast. Fishers use nets, lines, and pots to catch different types of fish like cod, haddock, crab, or lobster. It is an important job because fishers help to put food on our tables! It can be a very active job, sometimes working in all kinds of weather, even when it is windy and rainy. You need to be strong and enjoy being outdoors and on the water.
Someone just starting out as a fisher in the UK might earn around 15,000 to 20,000 pounds a year.
An experienced fisher in the UK could earn between 25,000 and 40,000 pounds a year, especially if they own their boat or catch a lot of fish.
There are about 11,000 people working as fishers and related jobs in the UK.
Imagine being a detective for the sea! A Marine Biologist studies all the amazing plants and animals that live in the ocean, like colourful fish, giant whales, and tiny crabs. They might help protect sea creatures or learn how they live.
An Aquarium Curator is like a zookeeper, but for fish and other water animals! They make sure all the creatures in an aquarium are happy and healthy, that their tanks are clean, and that they have the right food. They also help people learn about them.
A Fish Farmer looks after lots of fish that live in special ponds or big tanks, making sure they grow big and strong. This helps provide healthy food for people and can also help protect wild fish by not taking too many from the sea.
Go to the beach or a harbour with your family and watch the fishing boats. You might even see fishers bringing in their catch!
When you visit the seaside, look closely at the boats. Some will be small, and some will be big. Try to spot the nets or pots on the boats. These are what fishers use to catch fish and other sea creatures. You might even see a fishmonger's shop, which is where fresh fish is sold.
Find books about different types of fish, sea creatures, and how they live in the ocean. This will help you learn their names and what they look like.
There are lots of amazing books about ocean life! Look for ones with colourful pictures of sharks, whales, cod, haddock, and other fish. You can learn about what they eat, where they live, and even fun facts about how they swim or hunt. The more you know, the better you'll understand a fisher's job.
Watch TV shows or videos about fishing to see what fishers do day-to-day. You can learn about their tools and how they work.
Many TV channels have documentaries or shows about people who work at sea. These shows can teach you about different fishing methods, like using long lines or big nets. You'll see how challenging but also exciting the job can be, and how important it is to be safe on the water.
Ask an adult to take you to a local pond or river to try fishing with a simple rod and line. It's a fun way to learn patience!
Starting with a rod and line in a safe place like a pond is a great way to understand how fish bite and how to reel them in. You'll need bait, like worms, and an adult to show you how to cast the line. Remember to always put the fish back carefully if you're fishing for sport!
Understand why the sea can be choppy or calm, and what different weather means for being on a boat.
The sea is amazing but can also be powerful. Learn about tides – how the water goes up and down – and about different types of waves. Knowing about weather, like when it's sunny or stormy, is very important for fishers because it affects their safety and how much fish they can catch. You can often learn about this from coastal weather forecasts.
If there's one nearby, joining Sea Cadets can teach you lots about boats, knots, and being safe on the water.
Sea Cadets is a wonderful organisation for young people who love the sea. You can learn useful skills like tying different knots, understanding how boats work, and even basic first aid. These are all skills that would be very helpful for a future fisher, and you'll make new friends too!
Learning about science, especially biology, will help you understand fish and their environment even better.
At school, pay attention in your science lessons! Biology teaches you about living things, including fish and other sea creatures. You'll learn about ecosystems, which is how everything in the ocean works together. This knowledge is really important for understanding fish populations and how to fish sustainably, so there are always fish for the future.
When you're older, you could try to get some work experience on a fishing boat or at a fish market to see the job up close.
Once you're a bit older, maybe in your teenage years, you could ask around local harbours to see if any fishers would let you spend a day on their boat, or help out at a fishmonger. This 'hands-on' experience is the best way to see what the job is really like and to learn from people who do it every day. Always make sure to ask an adult to help you arrange this and ensure it's a safe environment.
After school, there are special courses you can take to learn all the skills needed to be a professional fisher, like boat safety and navigation.
To become a professional fisher in the UK, you'll need specific training. This includes courses in sea safety, first aid at sea, and sometimes even how to navigate a boat using charts and instruments. These courses make sure you are safe and skilled to work on a fishing vessel. Your local college or maritime training centres are good places to look for these.
A deckhand helps out on boats, doing lots of different jobs to keep the boat running smoothly and safely, like cleaning and helping with equipment.
A marine biologist studies sea creatures and the ocean. They learn about fish, dolphins, and all the other amazing things that live underwater.
A boat builder creates and repairs boats. They use wood, metal, and other materials to make sure boats are strong and float well.
Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Fisher. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.
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Harvest fish and shellfish.
A Fisher typically works on a fishing vessel, performing duties similar to a deckhand such as handling fishing gear, processing the catch, and maintaining the boat.
You can get into this job through:
You may be able to do a course in maritime studies at a fishing industry training college. Once complete, you could apply for work as a trainee deckhand on a fishing vessel.
On a course, you'll learn:
You'll also get training in sea safety and first aid.
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
You could apply to do a Fisher Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship can take up to 2 years to complete.
It combines training at sea with onshore study at a college or learning provider.
You could also apply for a place on a Ship's Master Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship, if you want to train to become a skipper. This apprenticeship takes around 4 years.
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
If you have experience of working or training on ships or boats, and the correct safety certificates, you may be able to find work. You could contact vessel skippers directly or fishing crew agencies, and train on the job.
You may be able to do the Introduction to Commercial Fishing course, which is backed by Seafish, who support the UK's fishing industry.
The course is for anyone looking to work on a commercial vessel. It covers basic industry skills and knowledge, along with 4 mandatory training units that you'll need to work onboard a boat:
You'll need to be willing to move if necessary, as approved training centres are located near to established fishing ports around the country.
You can find more information about careers in the fishing industry from Seafish.
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