Fish trimmer
Also known as: fish preparation worker, fish processor
About this occupation
Fish trimmers cut off fish heads and remove organs from the body for fish and seafood production. They remove organs by scraping and washing, cut out areas presenting defects, and package the processed fish in appropriate containers.
Essential skills and knowledge
- comply with food safety and hygiene
- package fish
- slice fish
- tolerate strong smells
- ensure sanitation
- mark differences in colours
- apply GMP
- maintain cutting equipment
- apply HACCP
- remove parts of fish
- lift heavy weights
- clean food and beverage machinery
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers (O*NET 51-3022.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
- Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
- Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
- Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
- Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.
- Process primal parts into cuts that are ready for retail use.
- Typical education (US)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness
US median pay: US$38,300 a year (2025), 145,700 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).
- Agriculture or Foods and NutritionO*NET: Food ProductionVery important (4.0)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.6)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.4)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.3)
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)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- 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.
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
- Butchers and Meat Cutters
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
- Food Batchmakers
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
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.