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Commercial fisherman vs fishing vessel captain

The differences between commercial fishermen and fishing vessel captains can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a commercial fisherman and a fishing vessel captain. Additionally, a commercial fisherman has an average salary of $51,584, which is higher than the $38,051 average annual salary of a fishing vessel captain.

The top three skills for a commercial fisherman include safety procedures, vessel maintenance and hydraulic systems. The most important skills for a fishing vessel captain are GPS, , and .

Commercial fisherman vs fishing vessel captain overview

Commercial FishermanFishing Vessel Captain
Yearly salary$51,584$38,051
Hourly rate$24.80$18.29
Growth rate-1%
Number of jobs26,4882,571
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4343
Years of experience22

Commercial fisherman vs fishing vessel captain salary

Commercial fishermen and fishing vessel captains have different pay scales, as shown below.

Commercial FishermanFishing Vessel Captain
Average salary$51,584$38,051
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $109,000Between $19,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between commercial fisherman and fishing vessel captain education

There are a few differences between a commercial fisherman and a fishing vessel captain in terms of educational background:

Commercial FishermanFishing Vessel Captain
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Commercial fisherman vs fishing vessel captain demographics

Here are the differences between commercial fishermen' and fishing vessel captains' demographics:

Commercial FishermanFishing Vessel Captain
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 91.2% Female, 8.8%Male, 92.1% Female, 7.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 5.9% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.0%Black or African American, 2.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 5.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 8.8%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between commercial fisherman and fishing vessel captain duties and responsibilities

Commercial fisherman example 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.
  • Operate various equipment drenches and hoists, hydraulically control, used welding equipment.
  • Work on a salmon trolling boat and run the fishing gear on the back deck.
  • Show more

Fishing vessel captain example responsibilities.

  • Spearhead cross-functional initiative to achieve successful whole shipments of wild Alaskan salmofrozen and gut.
  • Spearhead cross-functional initiative to achieve successful whole shipments of wild Alaskan salmofrozen and gut.
  • Monitor checkout stations to ensure that they have adequate cash available and that they are staffed appropriately.

Commercial fisherman vs fishing vessel captain skills

Common commercial fisherman skills
  • Safety Procedures, 26%
  • Vessel Maintenance, 26%
  • Hydraulic Systems, 7%
  • Deck Hand, 6%
  • RAN, 5%
  • Hoisting, 5%
Common fishing vessel captain skills
  • GPS, 100%

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