Career profile · SOC ESC-816643FF

fish preparation operator

Fish preparation operators realize the preparation of fish and shellfish according to hygiene, food safety and trade regulations. They carry out fish processing operations, and also handle retail activities.

fish preparation operator fish preparation operators realize the preparation of fish and shellfish according to hygiene, food safety and trade regulations. They carry out fish processing operations, and also handle retail activities. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include food storage, fish varieties, maintain cutting equipment, ensure sanitation, comply with food safety and hygiene.

AI exposure
5.0/10
automation risk

Pay in the UK

UK: median £28,859 a year for Butchers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)

Middle half of full-time jobs: £25,989 to £32,218 a year

UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5431). ONS rates this estimate 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)

Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only fish preparation operator, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.

Urban India
₹17,819 a month
Rural India
₹15,532 a month
All India
₹16,773 a month

Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report

Top skills

food storage fish varieties maintain cutting equipment ensure sanitation comply with food safety and hygiene preserve fish products slice fish store raw food materials mark differences in colours apply HACCP

Frequently asked questions

What does fish preparation operator do?

Fish preparation operators realize the preparation of fish and shellfish according to hygiene, food safety and trade regulations. They carry out fish processing operations, and also handle retail activities.

What skills does fish preparation operator need?

The most in-demand skills for this role include food storage, fish varieties, maintain cutting equipment, ensure sanitation, comply with food safety and hygiene, preserve fish products. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Will AI replace fish preparation operator?

Our AI-durability model gives fish preparation operator a score of 0.50 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.

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