Deck and Fishing Hands

ANZSCO ID 8992

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
6,200
Future Growth
-4.3%
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
67%
Female Share
8%
Average age
42

Summary

Deck and Fishing Hands maintain ships' equipment and structures, and catch fish, crustacea and molluscs.

Tasks

  • handling ropes and wires, and operating mooring equipment when berthing and unberthing

  • standing lookout watches at sea and adjusting the ship's course as directed

  • assisting with cargo operations using on-board equipment and stowing and securing cargo

  • patrolling ships to ensure safety of the vessel, cargo and passengers

  • performing routine maintenance and checks on deck equipment, cargo gear, rigging, and lifesaving and firefighting appliances

  • attaching gear and fastening towing cables to nets

  • casting and lowering nets, pots, lines and traps into water

  • preparing lines, attaching running gear and bait, and setting lines into position

  • hauling in fishing gear and removing fish and other marine life

  • sorting, cleaning, preserving, stowing and refrigerating catch

Characteristics

Job Type
Labourers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • Medium
  • 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 decline
  • is likely to reach 5,700 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
-4.3%
(or -300 jobs)
From
6,000
in 2021
To
5,700
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 8,000
2012 7,200
2013 6,900
2014 10,100
2015 6,200
2016 7,100
2017 9,200
2018 6,900
2019 7,900
2020 6,600
2021 6,000
2026 5,700

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 72% of people employed as Deck and Fishing Hands work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 6 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 57 hours per week in their main job. This is 13 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021.


Industries

Main industries

1
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
55.2%
2
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
27.6%
3
Other Services
5.2%
4
Mining
1.7%
5
Other industries
10.3%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

23.5% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

8.8% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

24.9% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

13.0% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

19.1% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

8.3% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

2.0% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.2% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Deck and Fishing Hands All Jobs Average
NSW 23.5 31.6
VIC 8.8 25.6
QLD 24.9 20.0
SA 13.0 7.0
WA 19.1 10.8
TAS 8.3 2.0
NT 2.0 1.0
ACT 0.2 1.9


  • Around 72% of Deck and Fishing Hands live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

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

    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
42
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
8%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Deck and Fishing Hands is 42 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

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

    Females make up 8% of the workforce. This is 40 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 Deck and Fishing Hands All Jobs Average
15-19 4.7 5.0
20-24 9.9 9.3
25-34 21.6 22.9
35-44 20.2 22.0
45-54 22.2 21.6
55-59 9.8 9.0
60-64 6.1 6.0
65 and Over 5.4 4.2
Median Age 42 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 a Deck or Fishing Hand. Although some workers have a certificate I, II or III in maritime operations, fishing operations or aquaculture.

Visit

  • 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 Deck and Fishing Hands All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.8 10.1
Bachelor degree 5.4 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 8.0 11.6
Certificate III/IV 32.5 21.1
Year 12 17.1 18.1
Year 11 7.4 4.8
Year 10 and below 28.7 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 Deck and Fishing Hands who are fit, reliable and willing to take direction.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 46%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 45%

    Monitoring

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

  • 45%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 45%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 43%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 43%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 43%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 41%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 41%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 37%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 37%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 37%

    Time management

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

  • 36%

    Active learning

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

  • 36%

    Equipment maintenance

    Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.

  • 36%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 36%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 36%

    Troubleshooting

    Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.

  • 36%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 34%

    Active listening

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

  • 32%

    Equipment selection

    Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 60%

    Food production

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

  • 60%

    Mechanical

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

  • 51%

    Transportation

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

  • 46%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 44%

    Production and processing

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

  • 43%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 42%

    Education and training

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

  • 39%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 39%

    Law and government

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

  • 37%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 35%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 35%

    Biology

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

  • 35%

    Chemistry

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

  • 34%

    Administration and management

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

  • 33%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 32%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 27%

    English language

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

  • 26%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 24%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 23%

    Sales and marketing

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 61%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 57%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 55%

    Extent flexibility

    Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • 52%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 52%

    Reaction time

    Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.

  • 52%

    Control precision

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

  • 50%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 48%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 48%

    Rate control

    Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • 48%

    Depth perception

    Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.

  • 48%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 48%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 46%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 46%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 41%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 41%

    Dynamic strength

    Exercise for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • 41%

    Near vision

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

  • 39%

    Balance

    Keep your balance or stay upright.

  • 36%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.


Activities

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

  • 80%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 74%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 57%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 54%

    Working with mechanical equipment

    Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.

  • 47%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 45%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 44%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 43%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 42%

    Coordinating the work of a team

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

  • 41%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 41%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 41%

    Guiding and directing staff

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

  • 40%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 39%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 37%

    Training and teaching others

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

  • 35%

    Working with electronic equipment

    Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing electronic devices and equipment.

  • 35%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 32%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 30%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 30%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.


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%

    Practical

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

  • 33%

    Enterprising

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

  • 29%

    Analytical

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

  • 24%

    Administrative

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

  • 14%

    Creative

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

  • 14%

    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.
  • 52%

    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.

  • 52%

    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.

  • 52%

    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.

  • 43%

    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.

  • 38%

    Achievement

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

  • 33%

    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.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 94%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 94%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 92%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 90%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 90%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 88%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 85%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 84%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 80%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 80%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 79%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 78%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 78%

    Contact with people

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

  • 78%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 78%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 77%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

  • 77%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 76%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 76%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 75%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

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, 45-3011.00 - Fishers and Related Fishing Workers.


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