Overview
Aquacultural managers supervise staff by coordinating, directing, monitoring and supporting fish hatchery production for businesses, cooperatives and public departments or agencies. Their primary task is to ensure that fish and shellfish are grown as cash crops and released into freshwater or saltwater by utilising output and environmental data.
Duties and responsibilities
- Collect data and record growth, production and environmental data
- Monitor the trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation and fry rearing
- Train and supervise aquaculture and fish hatchery support employees
- Administer and implement production policies put forward by operations administration
- Determine the right measures to maintain standards relating to facility maintenance
- Manage the transfer and release of mature fish into commercial tanks, lakes, ponds and streams
- Perform routine inspection of stock examinations to potentially locate diseases or parasites
- Scuba dive to learn about the efficacy of sea farm operations
- Meet biologists and fish pathologists, to gather opinions relating to fish habits, diseases and food
- Design and erect floating stations, fences and pens for sea farms
- List various techniques for fish fertilisation, spawn incubation and treatment
- Maintain brood stock
- Write reports and propose solutions to boost fish hatching and growth rates
- Conduct basic accounting to manage purse strings and disburse funds
- Compose papers to outline operations, budget and other compilatory data for government agencies
Skills and knowledge
Working conditions
AVERAGE WORKING HOURS
50hweek
TYPICAL SCHEDULE
Full Time
Long and irregular hours
The work of an aquacultural manager is physically demanding. In addition to walking and standing for long stretches of time, they typically handle up to 20 pounds of machines, equipment and tools in varying conditions, from very hot to very cold. Their work is mostly done outside at public or private fish hatcheries and commercial aquatic farms. Overtime work is common, and they may need to visit the site on weekends.
Salary prospects
BOTTOM 10%
$35k
MEDIAN
$68k
TOP 10%
$140k
Annual salary estimates are based on percentile wage data collected through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey of US workers.
Entry requirements
EDUCATION LEVEL
Undergraduate
Bachelor’s degree in marine biology or similar subject
TRAINING TIME
4years
Although not essential, a bachelor’s degree in marine biology, fisheries and aquatics or another science-related field is becoming increasingly important among employers. That said, many employers will hire candidates with at least a high school diploma.
Job outlook
PROJECTED GROWTH
-1%
NEW JOBS
-8k
AUTOMATION RISK
4.7%
Career advancement
To succeed in this career, you must attain an incredible amount of work-related skills, knowledge and expertise. Upon entry into this field, you will generally perform a lot of heavy-duty tasks before moving on to more intricate responsibilities. Eventually, with enough experience, you can progress to a more senior position such as research coordinator. You also go on to become a Recirculating Aquaculture Systems Specialist or aquaculture professor.