Career Explorer > Career Details
| Fish Farmer |
$43,230 Annual Average (US Bureau of Labor and Statistics) |
| Career Cluster: Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources | |
| General
Information: Fish farmers work in fish and shellfish hatcheries and in related operations to produce fish for sale in consumer markets and for stocking lakes, ponds, streams, and oceans. |
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| Career
Information: Fish Farmers fish farms breed, grow, and harvest fish. Those in federal and state hatcheries rear fish for release in streams and oceans primarily for sports fishing. They also maintain fish hatcheries for purposes of research. Fish and seafood are also used to furnish raw materials for medicines. Fish farming methods vary with the kinds of fish or seafood. Some farms maintain captive brood stock (stock maintained as a source of population replacement or for the establishment of new populations) such as catfish in ponds or tanks. Other farms trap game fish, such as bass, in order to incubate the eggs and rear the fry or small fish in fish hatcheries. Workers inspect eggs periodically. Using a syringe, they pick out dead, infertile, and off-color eggs. After the fish hatch, they transfer them to rearing tanks. To feed the fry, or small fish, workers use many techniques ranging from hand feeding to a blower that automatically scatters food over the water. Some marine species require live feeds such as phytoplankton and zoo plankton until they become large enough to subsist on artificial feeds. Fish Farmers must keep a close watch on the fish to spot disease. They may add medicine to the food or water. In some parts of the United States, Fish Farmers have indoor tanks to keep young fish alive when winter weather prevails. Later they transfer the maturing fish to outdoor tanks or farm ponds. To transport fish to the market, they use tanker trucks. |
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| Educational
Requirements: 2 year degree |
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| Suggested High School/Collegiate
Courses: Agriculture, biology, earth sciences, chemistry, math and computers. Degree in Aquaculture. |
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| Skills
Necessary: Mathematical , Analytical , Oral Communications , Creative , Organizational , Scientific , Manual Dexterity , Work independently , Decision Making , Computer Skills , Written Communications , Management , Detail Oriented , Sales , Technical , Basic Business Principles , Good Judgment , Determination , Confidence |
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| Job
Availability: Slight to declining growth |
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| Location
of jobs: Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas, Mississippi River, Idaho and Montana,Northern Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virginia. The Pacific Northwest is a large producer of cultured shellfish and some salmon. |
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| Working
Conditions: Depends upon facilities. Working conditions for fish farming workers vary with their tasks. Managers or owners work in an office where they prepare reports and keep records. At other times they work outdoors directing workers around holding pens or incubation installations. Workers may wade in water when releasing fish into lakes or streams. Shellfish farming workers work in shallow water along sea fronts and on boats. |
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| FFA
Programs that Promote this Career: Agri-Entrepreneurship , Agriscience , CDE: Ag Communications , CDE: Ag Issues , CDE: Ag Mechanics , CDE: Ag Sales , CDE:Agronomy , CDE: Dairy Cattle , CDE: Environmental and Natural Resources , CDE: Farm Business Management , CDE: Marketing Plan , CDE: Prepared Public Speaking , Supervised Agriculture Experience: Exploratory , Supervised Agriculture Experience: Research/Experimentation & Analysis , Supervised Agriculture Experience: Ownership/Entrepreneurship , Supervised Agriculture Experience: Placement , American Degree , Stars Over America , Proficiencies , New Century Farmer |
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| Related
Occupations: Accounting , Agriculture Business , Agriculture General , Agriculture Environmental & Natural Resources , Marketing , Sales |
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| FFA Sponsors/Employers in this Industry: A Cattle Company , Accelegrow Technologies Inc. , Agren, Inc. , andre , Angela R. Bedient , Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) , Arysta LifeScience North America LLC , ATLANTIC TRACTOR LLC , Bayer Crop Science , BouMatic , Brasil Dairy , BREADA , CAERT, Inc. , CNH (Case IH-New Holland) , ConAgra Foods , Connecticut Farmland Trust , Country Meats, Inc. , DTN , DuPont Crop Protection , eaglewood farm , East Allen COunty Schools , Excalibur Associates , Farmers Almanac TV , FCAE , Flying S , Fort Hays State University , Georgia Forestry , Grassroot Organics , Guenthenspberger Farms , Gunn Creek Farm , Headstart Nursery, Inc. , HEARTLAND FARM AND LAWN , Heifer International , Husqvarna , HyMark Consulting LLC , Jim 'n' I Farms, Inc , Johnny's Selected Seeds , Laloo's , Lancaster Farmland Trust , Lextron, Inc. , Lighthouse Shrimp , Los Angeles County Farm Bureau , Meijer Inc , Mercier Valley Farm , Misssissippi Band of Choctaw Indians , Monsanto , Napa Valley Blueberries , National Cattlemen's Beef Association , National Christmas Tree Association , NCDA&CS , Noble Valley Meat and Produce , Novartis Animal Health US, Inc. , NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) , Nutrena , Oklahoma Department of Agriculture , Per4mance Choice, LLC , Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. , R2 Ranch , Rathdrum Country Store , Reno Farm Bureau Association , RI Farm Bureau , Rowland Aquaculture Consulting, Int'l , self , Seminis , Smith, Brown & Jones , Stamford Farmers Cooperative , Stauffer Seeds , Stephan & Brady , Stonewall Farm , Syngenta , the feed stop , The HANOR Company of Wisconsin, LLC - NC Region , The Schwan Food Company , Trolley Crossing Farm , Unity Ag Direct , USDA-Farm Service Agency , wilson Pond and Vineyard , Wynham Farms |
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| Current
FFA Sponsor/Employer Opportunities Available: Weld Engineer , Engineer Intern - Lab/Field , Commercial Intern - Service Training , Lab/Field Test Engineer Intern , Lab/Field Test Engineer Intern , Lab/Field Test Engineer Intern , Brand Marketing and Communications Intern , Brand Marketing and Communications Intern , Brand Marketing and Communications Intern , Product Support New Holland Brand Intern , Communication/Marketing 100+ HP Intern , Marketing Haytools Intern , Marketing Haytools Intern , Marketing Under 100HP Intern , Dealer Development Intern , Dealer Development Intern , Dealer Sales Support Intern , Dealer Sales Support Intern , Dealer Sales Support Intern , Dealer Sales Support Intern , Dealer Sales Support Intern , CNH Graduate Program , CNH Graduate Program , CNH Graduate Program , CNH Graduate Program , Dealer Risk Specialist , Parts Depot, Office/Dispatch Supervisor , Grain Terminal Operations Manager Trainee , Elevator Manager Intern , Seed Production Co-op , Seed Production Intern , Engineering Co-op Positions , Seed Production Trainee , American Seeds Incorporated - Agronomy Intern , American Seeds Incorporated - Sales Internship , Local Field Advisor Intern , Local Field Advisor Associate , Soil Conservationist Student Trainee GS-499-3/5 , Soil Scientist Student Trainee GS 499-3/5 , Rangeland Management Specialist (Student Trainee) GS-499-3/5 , Civil/Agricultural Engineer (Student Trainee) GS-899-3/5 , Career Intern GS 5/7 , Professional Internship - Sales and Marketing - Western Market (6209BR) , Professional Internship - Sales and Marketing - Eastern Market (6198BR) , Public Affairs Intern (6152BR) , Seed Supply Intern (6193BR) , Seed Supply Intern (6150BR) , Seed Supply Intern (6114BR) , Management Assistant (5928BR) , Engineer Field Automation Intern (5967BR) , Management Assistant - Multiple Locations , Field Sales Trainee - Multiple Locations , Senior Application Developer - Multiple Positions , Staff Specialist / Application Developer (7768BR) , Maize Product Development Intern - Multiple Locations , Intern - Soybean Research – Multiple Locations , Sales Intern – Multiple Locations , Trait Characterization and Development Intern (8014BR & 8015BR) , Marketing Intern (8023BR, 8021BR, 8020BR, & 7910BR) , Engineer Field Automation Intern (7992BR & 7995BR) , Public Affairs Intern (8011BR) , Customer Compliance Assessment Intern (8078BR) , Supply Chain Intern (7742BR) , Research Associate - Multiple Positions / Locations , Various , Career Intern Position - Loan Assistant/Loan Specialist (Agriculture) , All Novartis Farm Animal Health Biologics Positions , All Novartis Companion Animal Health Positions , NCBA Government Affairs Internship , District Sales Rep - Southeast Iowa , Inside Sales Territory Account Manager , Equine Research Intern , Associate Trader/Merchandiser , Trader/Merchandiser Intern , Associate Elevator Manager , Product Distribution Coordinator |
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