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Aquaculture harvesting technician

Also called aquatic harvester, harvest technician, harvesting technician

Aquaculture harvesting technicians operate the harvesting process of aquatic organisms' production, managing the complex equipment and machinery used in the harvesting of specific cultured species.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects21 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €700 (Bulgaria) to €7,500 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workersWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational5 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 1 in 10 train through vocational routes.Market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workersWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Aquaculture workers · ILO

What you'd do

Aquaculture workers · ILO
  • Breeding, raising and cultivating fish, mussels, oysters and other forms of aquatic life as cash crops or for release into freshwater or saltwater
  • Collecting and recording growth, production and environmental data
  • Conducting and supervising stock examinations in order to identify diseases or parasites
  • Monitoring environments to ensure maintenance of optimum conditions for aquatic life
  • Directing and monitoring trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques
  • Cleaning, freezing, icing or salting catch on- or offshore, and preparing fish and other products for shipment
  • Maintaining buildings, tanks, machinery, boats and other equipment
  • Delivering or marketing products
  • Renting or investing in buildings, equipment and machinery, and purchasing food and other supplies
  • Supervising and training aquaculture and fish hatchery support workers
Collect broodstockPerform fish grading operationsApply fish treatmentsSwimMonitor aquaculture feeding behaviour+ 26 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the related, broader US job "Agricultural Technicians"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workers in the EU
371k340k304k 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
97,000 replacing leavers 28,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workers21
All jobs29
Right now
3 of 27 countries report a shortage of aquaculture workers, 2 a surplus.
Aquaculture workers · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €700 a month (Bulgaria) to €7,500 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers in the EU, women earn 16% more per hour than men. Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in biology is the usual route.

Highest qualification of market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 12%Vocational 44%General secondary 10%Basic schooling 34%
Fields that teach it
Biology · Fisheries
Vocational route, EU
1 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.22 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Delivering or marketing products0.56
Collecting and recording growth, production and environmental data0.43
Supervising and training aquaculture and fish hatchery support workers0.28
Conducting and supervising stock examinations in order to identify diseases or parasites0.17
Monitoring environments to ensure maintenance of optimum conditions for aquatic life0.15
Breeding, raising and cultivating fish, mussels, oysters and other forms of aquatic life as cash crops or for release into freshwater or saltwater0.14
Renting or investing in buildings, equipment and machinery, and purchasing food and other supplies0.14
Directing and monitoring trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques0.14
Cleaning, freezing, icing or salting catch on- or offshore, and preparing fish and other products for shipment0.12
Maintaining buildings, tanks, machinery, boats and other equipment0.12

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for aquaculture workers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).