Fishers

Tasks and Duties

• Attach nets, slings, hooks, blades, and/or lifting devices to cables, booms, hoists, and/or dredges.
• Connect accessories such as floats, weights, flags, lights, or markers to nets, lines, or traps.
• Harvest marine life for human or animal consumption, using diving or dredging equipment, traps, barges, rods, reels, and/or tackle.
• Club or gaff large fish to enable hauling them into fishing vessel.
• Interpret weather and vessel conditions to determine appropriate responses.
• Load and unload vessel equipment and supplies, by hand or using hoisting equipment.
• Locate fish, using fish-finding equipment.
• Plan fishing operations, establishing the fish to be sought, the fishing location, the method of capture, and the duration of the trip.
• Pull and guide nets, traps, and lines onto vessels, by hand or using hoisting equipment.
• Put fishing equipment into the water and anchor or tow equipment, according to the fishing method used.
• Remove catches from fishing equipment and measure them to ensure compliance with legal size.
• Return undesirable or illegal catches to the water.
• Signal other workers to move, hoist, and position loads.
• Sort, pack, and store catch in holds with salt and ice.
• Stand lookout for schools of fish, and for steering and engine-room watches.
• Steer vessels and operate navigational instruments.
• Wash decks, conveyors, knives, and other equipment, using brushes, detergents, and water.
• Compute positions and plot courses on charts to navigate vessels, using instruments such as compasses, sextants, and charts.
• Direct fishing operations, and supervise fishing crew members.
• Estimate costs of operations and plan fishing season budgets accordingly.
• Hire qualified crew members, and assign their duties.
• Maintain engines, fishing gear, and other on-board equipment; and perform minor repairs.
• Monitor distribution of proceeds from sales of catches to ensure that crew members receive their prearranged portions.
• Oversee the purchase of supplies, gear, and equipment such as fuel, netting, and cables.
• Record in logbooks specifics of fishing activities such as dates, harvest areas, yields, and weather and sea conditions.
• Operate rowboats, dinghies, and/or skiffs to transport fishers, divers, and/or sponge hookers; or to tow and position fishing equipment.
• Sell catches by contacting and negotiating with buyers or by sending catches to fish auctions.
• Transport fish to processing plants or to buyers.
• Participate in wildlife management, disease control, and research activities.
• Share fishing expertise through activities such as writing for fishing magazines, hosting television shows, or testing and endorsing fishing equipment.

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