83121 Fishermen/women

What this occupation covers

Fishermen/women operate fishing vessels less than 100 gross tonnes to pursue and land fish and other marine life. They are usually self-employed owner-operators of fishing vessels.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 9 main duties for this code.

• Operate fishing vessel to pursue and catch fish and other marine life
• Select area for fishing, plot courses and compute navigational positions using compasses and charts or electronic fishing aids
• Steer vessel and operate navigational instruments
• Operate fishing gear, direct fishing operation and supervise fishing crew members
• Maintain engine, fishing gear and other on-board equipment
• Record fishing activities, weather and sea conditions
• Estimate costs of operations and plan budget for each fishing season
• Establish fish marketing plan and keep records of all financial transactions
• May transport fish to processing plants or fish buyers.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 9 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 83120 Fishing masters and officers
• 84121 Fishing vessel deckhands

Excluded from this code

• Fishing masters and officers (See 83120 Fishing masters and officers)
• Fishing vessel deckhands (See 84121 Fishing vessel deckhands)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

beam trawl fisherman/woman · clam dredge operator · clam fisherman/woman · crab fisherman/woman · Danish seine fisherman/woman · fisherman/woman · fishing vessel skipper · gill net fisherman/woman · gillnetter skipper · handliner fisherman/woman · harpoon fisherman/woman · hoop net fisherman/woman · inshore fisherman/woman · line fisherman/woman · lobster fisherman/woman · longline fisherman/woman · longliner fisherman/woman · otter trawl fisherman/woman · pot fisherman/woman · pound net fisherman/woman · prawn fisherman/woman · purse seine fisherman/woman · scallop dredger · seaweed dragger

Employment requirements

• Several years of experience as fishing vessel crew member or helper are usually required.
• Marine Emergency Duties Certificate is required by Transport Canada.
• A valid Fishing Vessel Operator Certificate is required.
• A commercial fishing licence is required.
• Licences are required for each species of fish pursued.
• Trade certification for fish harvesters is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador.