Aquaculture hatchery worker
Also known as: aquatic animals hatchery worker, fish farm hatchery worker
About this occupation
Aquaculture hatchery workers are active in the production of aquatic organisms in land-based hatchery processes. They assist in the process of raising organisms throughout the early stages of their life cycle and the release of organisms when necessary.
Essential skills and knowledge
- perform fish grading operations
- collect broodstock
- maintain hatchery equipment
- cultivate plankton production
- operate water-heating equipment
- operate photoreactors
- identity aquaculture species
- monitor larval development
- work in shifts
- operate hatchery trays
- biosecurity
- follow safety precautions in fishery operations
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals (O*NET 45-2093.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
- Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
- Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
- Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
- Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
- Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
- Typical education (US)
- Some College Courses
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Active Listening, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Judgment and Decision Making
US median pay: US$36,670 a year (2025), 32,810 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyImportant (3.2)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.1)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.1)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.1)
- Agriculture or Foods and NutritionO*NET: Food ProductionImportant (3.0)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Some College Courses
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Animal Breeders
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
- Agricultural Technicians
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
- Animal Caretakers
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.