What is a commercial fisherman and how to become one

Key steps to become a commercial fisherman

1. Explore commercial fisherman education requirements

   Most common commercial fisherman degrees

   Bachelor's

   39.5 %

   High School Diploma

   30.8 %

   Associate

   17.0 %

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2. Start to develop specific commercial fisherman skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Safety Procedures	26.07%
   Vessel Maintenance	25.56%
   Hydraulic Systems	6.58%
   Deck Hand	6.10%
   RAN	5.07%

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3. Complete relevant commercial fisherman training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commercial fishermen learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a commercial fisherman based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commercial fisherman resumes.

4. Obtain the necessary licensing

   Becoming a licensed commercial fisherman usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you don't need to pass an exam to become a licensed commercial fisherman in most of states. 9 states require commercial fishermen to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

   State	Education	Exam	License url
   Alaska	-	-	Commercial Fisher
   California	-	-	Commercial Fishing License
   Hawaii	-	-	Commercial Fisher
   Illinois	-	-	COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN, RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT
   Massachusetts	-	-	COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN

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5. Research commercial fisherman duties and responsibilities

   • Use equipment including nets, booms, and hoists.
   • Fish for shrimp, tuna, and salmon.
   • Pick fish, run hydraulics, and mend nets.
   • Boat are equipped with GPS, radar, and depth finder.

6. Prepare your commercial fisherman resume

   When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commercial fisherman resume.

   You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a commercial fisherman resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

   Choose from 10+ customizable commercial fisherman resume templates

   Build a professional commercial fisherman resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your commercial fisherman resume.
   

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7. Apply for commercial fisherman jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a commercial fisherman job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

   1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
   2. Consult your professional network
   3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
   4. Watch out for job scams