Fishing and hunting workers
Hunt, trap, catch, or gather wild animals or aquatic animals and plants. May use nets, traps, or other equipment. May haul catch onto ship or other vessel.
Fishing and hunting workers hunt, trap, catch, or gather wild animals or aquatic animals and plants. May use nets, traps, or other equipment. May haul catch onto ship or other vessel. The role is projected to decline by 5% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a No formal educational credential, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.46 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Critical Thinking, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Speaking, Time Management.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £26,737 a year for Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations n.e.c. (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 9119). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
No official India pay figure for this career: it falls in more than one occupation group, and the Government of India's labour survey (PLFS) publishes pay only by occupation group.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Geography
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- Law and Government
- Biology
- Sales and Marketing
- English Language
- Education and Training
What you'd actually do
- Steer vessels and operate navigational instruments.
- Remove catches from fishing equipment and measure them to ensure compliance with legal size.
- Direct fishing or hunting operations, and supervise crew members.
- Interpret weather and vessel conditions to determine appropriate responses.
- Travel on foot, by vehicle, or by equipment such as boats, snowmobiles, helicopters, snowshoes, or skis to reach hunting areas.
- Select, bait, and set traps, and lay poison along trails, according to species, size, habits, and environs of birds or animals and reasons for trapping them.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Fishing and hunting workers do?
Hunt, trap, catch, or gather wild animals or aquatic animals and plants. May use nets, traps, or other equipment. May haul catch onto ship or other vessel.
What is the job outlook for Fishing and hunting workers?
The role is projected to decline by 5% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 21,900 workers.
How do I become fishing and hunting workers?
The typical entry education is a No formal educational credential. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Fishing and hunting workers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Speaking, Time Management, Monitoring. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Fishing and hunting workers?
Our AI-durability model gives Fishing and hunting workers a score of 0.46 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Fishing and hunting workers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.