Aquaculture Managers

(NOC 0823)

in All Management

Aquaculture managers plan, organize, direct and control the operations of businesses that cultivate and harvest fish, shellfish or marine plants for replacement of wildlife stocks or for commercial sale. They work for public or private fish hatcheries and commercial aquatic farms, or they may be self-employed.

Job Outlook

Undetermined

Read more

  • Estimate change in employment not available for this occupation.
  • Estimate 0 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for this occupation.

Compared to: All Management

  • Estimate 2445 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 5900 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$20.44

Minimum

$30.00

Median

$41.81

Maximum

Annual Pay

N/A

Minimum

$53,780

Median

N/A

Maximum

Compared to: All Management

Hourly Pay

$22.50

Minimum

$43.80

Median

$66.20

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,632

Minimum

$55,002

Median

$124,014

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Aquaculture managers plan, organize, direct and control the operations of businesses that cultivate and harvest fish, shellfish or marine plants for replacement of wildlife stocks or for commercial sale. They work for public or private fish hatcheries and commercial aquatic farms, or they may be self-employed.

Job duties

Aquaculture managers:

  • Manage a fish hatchery, fish farm or other aquatic farm.
  • Identify requirements of the species and oversee preparation of the site for species cultivation.
  • Coordinate selection and maintenance of brood stock.
  • Determine food requirements and structure feeding regimes.
  • Monitor environment and maintain optimum conditions.
  • Supervise examination of stock to identify disease or parasites and apply prescribed medicine to control and prevent infection.
  • Use and maintain cultivating and harvesting equipment.
  • Collect and record growth and production data.
  • Manage and train aquaculture and fish hatchery support workers and supervise technicians and technologists.
  • Keep financial records and create market strategies, inventory and quality control methods.
  • May scuba dive to inspect sea farm operations.
  • May design and build pens, floating stations and collector strings or fences for sea farms.

Sample job titles

  • aquaculture manager
  • aquaculture operator
  • fish farm manager
  • fish farm operator
  • fish farmer
  • fish hatchery operator

Skills

  • You should enjoy working around water and marine life. You need an aptitude for administrative work and project management. Effective communication skills are important. Computer skills may be helpful.

Job requirements

  • High school is required.
  • A college diploma in aquaculture or a related field is usually necessary.
  • A commercial aquaculture or fish hatchery licence, permit or lease is required for self-employed aquaculture managers.

Other considerations

  • The majority of people in these jobs work for part of each year. When working, most are employed full-time with one-quarter working more than 50 hours per week. Several years of experience in fishing or aquaculture operations may sometimes provide a substitute for a college diploma in aquaculture.

By the numbers

Quick look

90

employed in 2016

82.4%

employed full-time

17.6%

self employed

23.5%
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76.5%
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45.1

median age

Compared to: All Management

44,250

employed in 2016

91.2%

employed full-time

18.9%

self employed

40.5%
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59.5%
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48.7

median age

Where will I likely work?

29.4%

Halifax

N/A
29.4%

Southern

N/A
23.5%

North Shore

N/A
17.6%

Annapolis Valley

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

87.5%

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

12.5%

Public administration

What is the age of Employment?

40.0%

35-44

33.0%

45-54

27.0%

55-64

Compared to: All Management

30.7%

45-54

23.1%

35-44

21.7%

55-64

14.0%

25-34

7.8%

65+

Top levels of education

35.3%

High school

N/A
29.4%

Bachelor

N/A
11.8%

College Diploma

N/A
11.8%

Master

N/A
11.8%

Trade Certification

N/A

Compared to: All Management

27.2%

Bachelor

$71,875 median annual income
23.8%

High school

$42,294 median annual income
20.4%

College Diploma

$50,256 median annual income
9.1%

Master

$93,261 median annual income
7.2%

Trade Certification

$44,396 median annual income

Education & training

Aquaculture

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to select, culture, grow, harvest, and market domesticated fish, shellfish, and marine plants, both freshwater and saltwater. They include courses in the principles of aquatic and marine biology, health and nutrition of aquatic and marine life, design and operation of fish farms, breeding facilities, culture beds, and related enterprises, and related issues of safety, applicable regulations, logistics, and supply.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Water, Wetlands and Marine Resources Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs apply the principles of marine/aquatic biology, oceanography, natural resource economics, and natural resources management to the development, conservation, and management of freshwater and saltwater environments. They include courses in subjects like wetlands, river, lake, coastal and oceanic water resources, water conservation and use, flood control, pollution control, water supply logistics, wastewater management, aquatic and marine ecology, aquatic and marine life conservation, and the economic and recreational uses of water resources.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Canadian Institute of Management - Maritimes
Various, NS
Nova Scotia Fisheries Sector Council
Yarmouth, NS
Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Halifax, NS
Canadian Aquaculture Institute
Charlottetown, PE

Additional resources