Job Description

This job is part of our sustainability series:  > See more sustainable job ideas > Find out more about sustainable careers

A Fish Farmer will breed and rear fish, this may be for food or in some cases for ornamental purposes. Responsibilities will include feeding the fish, grading them for size, treating them for signs of disease and harvesting them for the food chain.

Entry Requirements

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a Diploma in Land and Wildlife Management college course to give you some of the skills and knowledge needed for the job.

You'll usually need 4 GCSE's at Grades 9-4 (A-C) including English, maths and science for a Level 3 course.

The following local colleges offer courses in Land and Wildlife Management:

• Easton College
• Suffolk Rural (Suffolk New College)

Direct application

You could apply to fish farms for permanent or seasonal work. There are no set qualifications required, although experience is useful.

Some jobs are in remote areas of the country, so you may need access to a vehicle.

More information

You may need a full driving licence to travel to work, collect feed and equipment, and make deliveries to local buyers.

You can find out more about working in the fisheries industry through the Institute of Fisheries Management.

Career Path and Progression

You could move into areas like fisheries management, biological science or environmental research by taking a degree qualification.

On a larger farm, you could progress to supervisor or manager.

You could start your own fish farm.

Related careers you may be interested in:

• Farmer
• Fishing vessel skipper
• Fishing boat deckhand
• Gamekeeper

Required Skills

• Well organised
• good at keeping records and accounts
• Prepared to work outside in all weathers
• Practical
• Physically fit

Salary Range

£13,00 to £35,000