How to become a fisherman

New entrant fishermen must attend basic safety training in sea survival, fire fighting, first aid and health & safety.

Sea Survival training must be completed before going to sea for the first time; the other three courses must be completed within two months.

For those wanting to start a career in fishing, the Seafish Introduction to Commercial Fishing course and the Maritime Skills Alliance's Sea Fishing Apprenticeship programme provide a solid foundation for training new entrants to become competent deckhands and potentially progress to higher levels.

The majority of the practical experience needed to become a commercial fisherman takes place on the job. Many people entering this profession work as deck hands at first, providing them with the chance to observe the basics of the trade, then slowly take on additional responsibilities as they develop a familiarity with the equipment, methods, and working environment inherent in the work. This is also an excellent opportunity to determine if a commercial fisherman job is really what the individual wants without making a major investment of time and resources into the task.

Did you know that. . .

• there are about 6,500 registered fishing vessels, providing more than 12,200 full and part-time job opportunities throughout the UK.

• vessels range in size from less than seven metres in length fishing single-handed, to factory vessels exceeding 50 metres in length and manned by crews of over 30.

• a typical 20 metre vessel will have a crew of five or six.

• most crew members are paid on a 'share' basis, in other words the greater the value of the catch landed the more money each crew member receives as a share of the total.

Because of the hierarchy involved with commercial fisherman jobs, advancing in this career option takes time, effort, and a demonstrated ability to perform under pressure. After starting as a deck hand, anyone demonstrating the ability to remain calm under stressful circumstances and effectively lead a team, may advance, with formal qualifications, to becoming a first mate on a fishing vessel.

Over time, first mates may qualify to captain their own vessels. This process often takes years. Before making a decision to become a commercial fisherman, it is a good idea to determine if the individual is willing to exercise the patience required to make this incremental progression through the ranks.

Where do I start?
Contact one of our Approved Training Providers for information on upcoming courses and book yourself on a Sea Survival course. Costs can vary from £100-£150. If you decide that you want to continue fishing, you must undertake the other three mandatory courses (health & safety, first aid and fire fighting) within two months of starting fishing.

Once you have completed the mandatory courses and have met all the safety requirements you are in position to look for a berth on a boat. Our training providers may be able to help you with this, but the best way to learn of vessels that may require crew is word of mouth, get down to the harbour and ask around. Mornings are generally the best time as vessels more people will be around as the crews will be landing their catches.

Depending on your previous experience and seagoing abilities a good place to start is on a smaller 'day boat' vessel that returns to port every night. This will give you a chance to experience what it is like to work onboard a commercial fishing vessel and give you a good grounding on the goings on and what is expected from you. It will also enable you to build up contacts within the fishing industry as the best way to learn of any job opportunities is to be actually working on a fishing vessel.  The skipper may also be able to provide you with a reference is you decide to change vessels.

For more information, contact:

Keir Day
Safety at Sea Adviser
e: k_day@seafish.co.uk
t: 01964 603022
m: 07590 774879