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  6. Fishing Vessel Deckhands

Exploring Trades and Occupations

Fishing Vessel Deckhands

On this page

  • Job description
  • Advancement and mobility
  • Hourly wage
  • Job prospects for 2024-2028
  • Sectors of activity
  • Training and requirements
  • Main skills and characteristics
  • Personality profiles (RIASEC)
  • Additional information

Job description

These individuals perform a variety of manual tasks during commercial fishing trips. They also do boat maintenance. They are employed by companies that operate commercial fishing vessels and by Self-employed Fishers.

Environment

  • Climatic conditions
  • Vehicle or passenger compartment
  • Odours
  • Humidity
  • Hazardous workplaces

Main tasks

  • Capture fish and other marine species.
  • Empty fish, sort them, place them on ice, and store them in the hold.
  • Repair nets and replace lines.
  • Maintain fishing instruments and deck equipment.
  • Wash decks and fish holds.
  • Take care of mooring lines during docking.
  • Direct vessels to and from the fishing grounds, as required.
  • Prepare and cook meals for crew members, as required.

Advancement and mobility

  • Obtain an entry permit and a boat enables these individuals to become Fishing Vessel Skippers.
  • Additional training leads to senior positions.

Hourly wage

Not available.

Job prospects for 2024-2028

Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.

Job prospects for 2024-2028

Job prospects

All of Québec

Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Good

All of Québec

Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available

Total jobs for 2023

All of Québec

800

All of Québec

na

Gender distribution

All of Québec

Not available.
15% Female
85% Male

Not available.
  • 15% Female
  • 85% Male

Job types

All of Québec

Not available.
Full time
Part time

Not available.
  • Full time
  • Part time

Yearly wage on 2020

All of Québec

$24,600

All of Québec

Other characteristics

All of Québec

  • Seasonal worker
  • Non traditional for women
  • None

All of Québec

  • Seasonal worker
  • Non traditional for women
  • None

Sectors of activity

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  2. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  3. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  4. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  5. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  6. Others
    0% of jobs

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  2. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  3. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  4. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  5. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    100% of jobs
  6. Others
    0% of jobs

Training and requirements

Formation

Most training programs are offered in French only.

Secondary

DVS in pêche professionnelle
Code : 5257
More on graduates’ employment situation

Also required

  • One year of experience is required for Trawl Net Fishers.

Main skills and characteristics

Skills

  • Oral expression
  • Operations and control
  • Data collection
  • Active listening
  • Judgment and decision-making
  • Critical thought
  • Monitoring operations
More Less skills

Abilities

  • Limb coordination
  • Manual dexterity
  • Reaction time
  • Static muscle power
  • Control accuracy
  • Physical flexibility in extension
  • Digital dexterity
  • Hand-arm stability
  • Speed control
  • Classification
  • Core strength
  • Dynamic strength
  • Depth perception
  • Speech recognition
  • Distance vision
  • Near vision
  • Selective attention
  • Speech clarity
  • Oral comprehension
  • Overall balance of the body
  • Verbal skills
  • Information organization
  • Deductive reasoning
More Less abilities

Knowledge and attributes

  • Capacity to work under pressure
  • Focussed on results
  • Capacity to adapt
  • Capacity to work in a team
  • Respect standards and regulations
  • Availability
  • Tolerance to frequent temperature variations
  • Knowledge of plant and animal production
  • Tolerance to routine work
  • Timeliness

Interests

  • Work in transportation and maintenance
  • Develop and exploit natural resources
  • Work outdoors

Personality profiles (RIASEC)

Realistic
People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
Conventional
People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Social
People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
Additional information

Official name of the NOC 84121

Fishing vessel deckhands

Job titles

  • Fishing vessel crewman/woman
  • Shellfish harvester deckhand
  • Fishboat deckhand
  • Trawlerman/woman
  • Offshore trawler deckhand
  • Fishing vessel skiffman/woman
  • Fishing vessel icer
  • Gillnetter deckhand
  • Seiner deckhand
  • Fishing vessel checkerman/woman
  • Fishing vessel rollerman/woman
  • Fishing vessel netmender
More Less job titles

Skill type

Natural resources, agriculture and related production

Related occupations

  • Deck officers, water transport
  • Fishermen/women
  • Fishing masters and officers

See also

  • Glossary (PDF 229 Kb)
  • Québec emploi

See also

Non traditional

Hats Off to You!

Last update: January 29, 2026

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