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Fishery workers

How to become a Coastal Fisher

Also called: Inshore fisher, Beach seine net worker, Diving fisher, Set net fisher

Catches fish and shellfish in coastal waters, mostly on day trips in fairly small fishing boats.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school or less than high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or education are needed to start. It is common to begin as an apprentice on a boat owned by a self-employed fisher or a fishing company. If you do not know anyone in fishing, you can search for vacancies through Hello Work (public employment service) or contact industry bodies and fishing companies. Fishing cooperatives and fishing companies that are hiring take part in events that help people get into fishing, so you can check directly whether they are recruiting. To run your own fishing boat independently, you need not only a small boat operator's licence and a maritime special radio operator's licence, but also membership of a fishing cooperative and a fishing rights licence. To become a cooperative member you need to live in the area and have a record of fishing for at least 90 to 120 days a year (this varies by cooperative). You are expected to learn a great deal from boat owners and local cooperative members, and to want to become part of the local community and help keep the local industry going. At sea you work directly exposed to wind, rain, waves, cold and heat, so you need to understand the weather, and you need a good level of fitness and quick reactions.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Coastal Fisher?

No particular qualifications or education are needed to start. It is common to begin as an apprentice on a boat owned by a self-employed fisher or a fishing company. If you do not know anyone in fishing, you can search for vacancies through Hello Work (public employment service) or contact industry bodies and fishing companies. Fishing cooperatives and fishing companies that are hiring take part in events that help people get into fishing, so you can check directly whether they are recruiting. To run your own fishing boat independently, you need not only a small boat operator's licence and a maritime special radio operator's licence, but also membership of a fishing cooperative and a fishing rights licence. To become a cooperative member you need to live in the area and have a record of fishing for at least 90 to 120 days a year (this varies by cooperative). You are expected to learn a great deal from boat owners and local cooperative members, and to want to become part of the local community and help keep the local industry going. At sea you work directly exposed to wind, rain, waves, cold and heat, so you need to understand the weather, and you need a good level of fitness and quick reactions.

How much does a Coastal Fisher earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥3,607,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Agriculture, forestry and fishery workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Coastal Fisher?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 3% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Coastal Fisher?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026