NOC 83121: Fishermen/women
What fishermen/women do
Fishermen/women operate fishing vessels less than 100 gross tonnes to pursue and land fish and other marine life. They are usually self-employed owner-operators of fishing vessels.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Operate fishing vessel to pursue and catch fish and other marine life
- Select area for fishing, plot courses and compute navigational positions using compasses and charts or electronic fishing aids
- Steer vessel and operate navigational instruments
- Operate fishing gear, direct fishing operation and supervise fishing crew members
- Maintain engine, fishing gear and other on-board equipment
- Record fishing activities, weather and sea conditions
- Estimate costs of operations and plan budget for each fishing season
- Establish fish marketing plan and keep records of all financial transactions
- May transport fish to processing plants or fish buyers.
Job titles under NOC 83121
34 job titles are classified here, including fisherman/woman, fishing vessel skipper, inshore fisherman/woman.
- beam trawl fisherman/woman
- clam dredge operator
- clam fisherman/woman
- crab fisherman/woman
- Danish seine fisherman/woman
- fisherman/woman
- fishing vessel skipper
- gill net fisherman/woman
- gillnetter skipper
- handliner fisherman/woman
- harpoon fisherman/woman
- hoop net fisherman/woman
- inshore fisherman/woman
- line fisherman/woman
- lobster fisherman/woman
- longline fisherman/woman
- longliner fisherman/woman
- otter trawl fisherman/woman
- pot fisherman/woman
- pound net fisherman/woman
- prawn fisherman/woman
- purse seine fisherman/woman
- scallop dredger
- seaweed dragger
Employment requirements
- Several years of experience as fishing vessel crew member or helper are usually required.
- Marine Emergency Duties Certificate is required by Transport Canada.
- A valid Fishing Vessel Operator Certificate is required.
- A commercial fishing licence is required.
- Licences are required for each species of fish pursued.
- Trade certification for fish harvesters is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Fishermen/women wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $18.10/hr | $27.77/hr | $60.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $17.50/hr | $22.88/hr | $33.60/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $20.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $100.00/hr |
Nova Scotia | $19.77/hr | $30.00/hr | $60.00/hr |
New Brunswick | $17.14/hr | $22.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Quebec | $17.50/hr | $22.88/hr | $33.60/hr |
Manitoba | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $100.00/hr |
British Columbia | $20.00/hr | $38.84/hr | $50.00/hr |
Using NOC 83121 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 34 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Fishing masters and officers (NOC 83120)
- Fishing vessel deckhands (NOC 84121)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for fishermen/women?
Fishermen/women are NOC 2021 unit group 83121. Example job titles in this group include fisherman/woman, fishing vessel skipper, inshore fisherman/woman, lobster fisherman/woman.
What TEER is NOC 83121?
NOC 83121 is TEER 3 (College or apprenticeship (under 2 years)). Usually requires a college program or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do fishermen/women earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $27.77/hr, about $54,000 a year full-time, with a range of $18.10/hr to $60.00/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.