Aquaculture Hatchery Worker
Role lens
Aquaculture hatchery workers are active in the production of aquatic organisms in land-based hatchery processes. They assist in the process of raising organisms throughout the early stages of their life cycle and the release of organisms when necessary.
Aquaculture hatchery workers are essential in land-based facilities, focusing on the initial development of aquatic species. Your days involve monitoring water quality, feeding and caring for organisms at different life stages, and maintaining hatchery equipment. You’ll be actively involved in the entire process, from eggs to juvenile organisms, and may assist with the controlled release of stock when needed. This role demands attention to detail, a commitment to biosecurity, and a willingness to work in a hands-on environment.
- • Monitoring and maintaining water quality parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, oxygen levels).
- • Feeding and observing aquatic organisms for signs of health or disease.
- • Cleaning and disinfecting tanks, raceways, and hatchery equipment.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workers — 17 jobs including this one.
In shortage: France.
Longest-running shortage: Bulgaria, 2 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Australia, Malta)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $36,670 2025-05 | −5% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Surplus reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Do you guide students, clients or employees? Use this occupation data in your organisation.
Future Outlook for aquaculture hatchery worker
The outlook for aquaculture hatchery worker reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could aquaculture hatchery worker change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- follow hygienic practices in fishery operations
- follow safety precautions in fishery operations
- work in shifts
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- monitor larval growth
- monitor larval development
- clean off fouling
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as an aquaculture hatchery worker
09 09:00 · Morning carry out fish transportation
10 10:30 · Mid-morning monitor larval development
12 12:00 · Midday operate photoreactors
14 14:00 · Afternoon carry out hatchery production processes
15 15:30 · Late afternoon collect broodstock
17 17:00 · Wrap-up clean off fouling
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
-
maintain aquaculture water quality in hatcheries
Measure flow of water in tanks and natural freshwater bodies. Measure parameters of water quality, such as pH, temperature, oxygen, salinity, CO2, N2, NO2, NH4, turbidity, and chlorophyll.
-
condition broodstock
Incubate eggs until hatching. Assess quality of eggs. Inspect fish eggs. Remove dead, unviable, and off-colour eggs using a suction syringe. Produce eyed eggs. Hatch and maintain new-born larvae.
-
inspect fish eggs
Inspect fish eggs. Remove dead, unviable, and off-colour eggs using a suction syringe.
-
perform fish grading operations
Gather live fish using techniques which minimise the stress caused to fish and avoid fish escapes occurring. Grade them manually or using equipment. Report on the grading operation, ensuring compliance with specifications.
-
carry out hatchery production processes
Collect naturally spawned fish eggs, eliminate egg adhesiveness, incubate eggs until hatching, hatch and maintain newly born larvae, monitor larvae status, carry out early feeding and rearing techniques of the cultured species.
-
collect broodstock
Source broodstock from fisheries and held them in maturation tanks before collecting their seeds.
-
operate hatchery trays
Fill hatchery trays with fertilised eggs and place trays in incubation troughs.
-
culture aquaculture hatchery stocks
Use appropriate implements to collect shellfish spat. Sort wild shellfish spat. Collect naturally spawned fish eggs; eliminate egg adhesiveness and incubate eggs until hatched. Handle fish and shellfish broodstock and feed according to their needs.
-
follow hygienic practices in fishery operations
Comply with the right regulations and practices for hygienically handling fishery related tasks and responsibilities in fishery operations.
-
follow safety precautions in fishery operations
Comply with policies and institutional regulations to guarantee a safe workplace for employees in fishery and aquaculture operations. Deal with potential risks and dangers by taking appropriate safety measures.
-
monitor larval growth
Monitor the growth and health of the larvae.
-
monitor larval development
Observe appearance and actions of larvae in order to detect diseases; administer correct medication dose to food and water as instructed by supervisor.
-
maintain hatchery equipment
Make minor repairs to hatchery equipment as required.
-
maintain hatchery facilities
Make minor repairs to hatchery facilities as required.
-
use water disinfection equipment
Operate equipment for water disinfection, using different methods and techniques, such as mechanical filtration, depending on needs.
-
clean off fouling
Clean off fouling in aquaculture facilities.
-
operate forklift
Operate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.
-
cultivate plankton
Cultivate phytoplankton and microalgae. Cultivate live prey such as rotifers or Artemia with advanced techniques.
-
operate photoreactors
Operate photoreactors under supervision.
-
identity aquaculture species
Identity major European farmed fish, shellfish and crustacean species.
sanitation measures for aquaculture hatchery production
Standards of sanitation and cleanliness essential to effective control of fungi and other parasites under intensive culture conditions.
- biosecurity
- diving operation requirements
Path to become an aquaculture hatchery worker
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Upper secondary education
58 programmes in 18 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 30 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Koulutuskeskus Salpaus · Finland
Aquaculture
Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries · South Korea
Surface Supplied Diving Equipment (SSDE) Diving Supervisor
KBA TRAINING CENTRE PTE. LTD. · Singapore
These are 6 of 88.
Sources
- 1. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 2. Source: Study in Korea, National Institute for International Education (NIIED) (studyinkorea.go.kr).
- 3. Source: Study with New Zealand (studywithnewzealand.govt.nz), Education New Zealand. Copyright in the material is owned by Education New Zealand (All content (c) Education New Zealand). Listings are provided by the education providers, are for information and promotional purposes only, and are not endorsed by Education New Zealand; each provider is responsible for its own content.
- 4. Contains information from MySkillsFuture Course Run accessed on 2026-09-28 from data.gov.sg which is made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0 (https://data.gov.sg/open-data-licence)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does aquaculture hatchery worker fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of aquatic organisms might I work with as an aquaculture hatchery worker?
Are there any specific physical demands of this job?
What skills are important for success in this role?
Is there a shortage of Aquaculture Hatchery Worker in Europe?
How much does Aquaculture Hatchery Worker pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 19, 2026 About our data