How to become a Fishing Hand
Catches fish, crustacea and molluscs using nets, pots, lines and traps in ocean and inland waters.
Main tasks
- Attaches fishing gear and fastens towing cables to nets
- Casts and lowers fishing nets, pots, lines and traps into water
- Prepares fishing lines, attaches running gear and bait, and sets lines into position
- Hauls in fishing gear, and removes fish and other marine life
- Sorts, cleans, preserves, stows and refrigerates fishing catch
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Fishing Operations (SFI30219); Certificate II in Fishing Operations (SFI20219); Certificate III in Aquaculture (SFI30119); Certificate II in Aquaculture (SFI20119)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $89,440 a year
- About 6,300 people work in this job group now, and about 6,500 are projected by 2035. (+3%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Fishing Hand?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Fishing Operations; Certificate II in Fishing Operations.
How much does a Fishing Hand earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $89,440 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Fishing Hand a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 6,300 to about 6,500 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Fishing Hand?
Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Fishing Operations; Certificate II in Fishing Operations.
Will AI change the work of a Fishing Hand?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04