Aquaculture Farmers

ANZSCO ID 1211

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
2,200
Future Growth
4.7%
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
78%
Female Share
15%
Average age
45

Summary

Aquaculture Farmers plan, organise, control, coordinate and perform farming operations to breed and raise fish and other aquatic stock.

Also known as: Marine Farmer.

Specialisations: Seafood Farmer, Fish Farmer, Hatchery Manager (Fish), Mussel Farmer, Oyster Farmer.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as an Aquaculture Farmer. Although some workers have a formal qualification in aquaculture or marine science.

Tasks

  • planning and coordinating the operation of hatcheries to produce fish fry, seed oysters, crayfish, marron and prawns taking into account environmental and market factors

  • monitoring the environment to maintain optimal growing conditions

  • identifying and controlling environmental toxins and diseases

  • monitoring stock growth rates to determine when to harvest

  • transporting fish, crayfish, marron, prawns and sticks of seed oysters to new tanks, ponds, cages and floating net pens

  • directing and overseeing the harvesting, grading and packaging of fish, oysters and other aquatic stock

  • organising the sale, purchase and transportation of fish stock

  • maintaining and evaluating records of farming activities, monitoring market activity and planning production accordingly

  • managing business capital including budgeting, taxation, debt and loan management

  • may select, train and supervise staff and contractors

Characteristics

Job Type
Managers
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Administrative
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy
  • Very Heavy

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow moderately
  • is likely to reach 3,800 by 2026.
  • Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

    Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

    Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
4.7%
(or 200 jobs)
From
3,700
in 2021
To
3,800
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 1,600
2012 1,700
2013 2,000
2014 1,900
2015 2,300
2016 4,000
2017 3,900
2018 1,100
2019 3,200
2020 1,100
2021 3,700
2026 3,800

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 79% of people employed as Aquaculture Farmers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 13 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 49 hours per week in their main job. This is 5 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
76.5%
2
Public Administration and Safety
23.5%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

28.5% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

8.4% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

13.5% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

16.1% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

7.5% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

24.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.0% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Aquaculture Farmers All Jobs Average
NSW 28.5 31.6
VIC 8.4 25.6
QLD 13.5 20.0
SA 16.1 7.0
WA 7.5 10.8
TAS 24.0 2.0
NT 1.7 1.0
ACT 0.0 1.9


  • Around 81% of Aquaculture Farmers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Tasmania and South Australia have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
45
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
15%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Aquaculture Farmers is 45 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 15% of the workforce. This is 33 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Aquaculture Farmers All Jobs Average
15-19 2.5 5.0
20-24 7.0 9.3
25-34 17.8 22.9
35-44 21.0 22.0
45-54 22.3 21.6
55-59 10.7 9.0
60-64 8.8 6.0
65 and Over 10.0 4.2
Median Age 45 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as an Aquaculture Farmer. Although some workers have a formal qualification in aquaculture or marine science.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Seafood Industry VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Aquaculture Farmers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 3.3 10.1
Bachelor degree 15.7 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 9.2 11.6
Certificate III/IV 24.0 21.1
Year 12 16.2 18.1
Year 11 6.2 4.8
Year 10 and below 25.5 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Aquaculture Farmers who work well in a team, communicate clearly and who are reliable.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 57%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 57%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 55%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 55%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 55%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 55%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 54%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 52%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 52%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 50%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 50%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 50%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 50%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 50%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • 48%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 46%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 46%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 45%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 43%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 43%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 67%

    Biology

    Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.

  • 64%

    Food production

    Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.

  • 63%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 62%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 62%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 60%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 59%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 59%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 57%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 57%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 56%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 55%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 55%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 54%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 51%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 45%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 45%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 44%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 44%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 37%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 57%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 57%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 57%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 57%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 57%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 55%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 55%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 50%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 50%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 50%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 46%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 46%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 46%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 46%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 45%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 43%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 43%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.

  • 43%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 43%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 41%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 76%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 76%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 71%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 69%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 68%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 67%

    Managing payments and orders

    Monitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.

  • 66%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 65%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 65%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 64%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 64%

    Guiding and directing staff

    Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.

  • 61%

    Coaching and developing others

    Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.

  • 60%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 59%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 59%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 58%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 57%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

  • 52%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 51%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

    Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

  • 48%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 86%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 67%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 52%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 24%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 24%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 71%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 69%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 67%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 62%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 62%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 57%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 99%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 94%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 92%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 91%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 86%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 85%

    Indoors, not heat controlled

    Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).

  • 84%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 81%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 81%

    Outdoors, under cover

    Work outdoors, under cover (e.g., in an open shed).

  • 79%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

    Work in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).

  • 79%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 77%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 76%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 74%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 73%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 72%

    In an open vehicle or equipment

    Work in an open vehicle (e.g., a tractor).

  • 72%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 71%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 71%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 70%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 11-9013.03 - Aquacultural Managers.


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