aquatic animal health professional
Snapshot
Are you passionate about aquatic life and dedicated to ensuring their wellbeing? As an aquatic animal health professional, you’ll play a vital role in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases in fish and other aquatic creatures, contributing to healthy ecosystems and sustainable aquaculture.
Aquatic animal health professionals are essential for maintaining the health and welfare of aquatic animals in various settings, including aquaculture farms, research facilities, zoos, and public aquariums. Your work involves a combination of scientific expertise, practical skills, and meticulous record-keeping. You’ll be responsible for identifying health issues, implementing preventative measures, and administering treatments, often collaborating with other professionals to ensure optimal care.
- • Diagnose diseases and injuries in aquatic animals through observation, sampling, and laboratory analysis.
- • Develop and implement preventative health programs, including vaccination schedules and biosecurity protocols.
- • Administer medications and treatments, adhering to strict guidelines and regulations.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Health professionals — 68 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France and 7 more.
Longest-running shortage: Netherlands, 3 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.
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Future Outlook for aquatic animal health professional
The outlook for aquatic animal health professional 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 aquatic animal health professional 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.
How could aquatic animal health professional 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.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- conserve natural resources
- follow safety precautions in fishery operations
- implement scientific decision making in healthcare
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- conduct research on flora
- conduct research on fauna
- analyse work-related written reports
Tasks most exposed to automation
- gather experimental data
- collect biological data
- maintain aquaculture treatment records
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
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
Healthcare & Human Services
A typical day as a aquatic animal health professional
09 09:00 · Morning analyse fish samples for diagnosis
10 10:30 · Mid-morning collect fish samples for diagnosis
12 12:00 · Midday communicate specialised veterinary information
14 14:00 · Afternoon conduct fish mortality studies
15 15:30 · Late afternoon conduct research on fauna
17 17:00 · Wrap-up conduct research on flora
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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applied zoology
The science of applying animal anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behaviour in a particular practical context.
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botany
The taxonomy or classification of plant life, phylogeny and evolution, anatomy and morphology, and physiology.
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fish anatomy
The study of the form or morphology of fish species.
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fish biology
The study of fish, shellfish or crustacean organisms, categorized into many specialised fields that cover their morphology, physiology, anatomy, behaviour, origins and distribution.
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microbiology-bacteriology
Microbiology-Bacteriology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
- aquatic species
- biology
- biosecurity
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perform scientific research
Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
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conduct fish mortality studies
Collect fish mortality data. Identify causes of mortality and provide solutions .
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apply scientific methods
Apply scientific methods and techniques to investigate phenomena, by acquiring new knowledge or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.
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perform field research
Participate in field research and evaluation of state and private lands and waters.
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conduct fish populations studies
Study captive fish populations to determine survival, growth, and migration.
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prepare fish treatment plan
Prepare health treatment plans to meet specific fish disease requirements.
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carry out fish disease prevention measures
Carry out disease prevention measures for fish, molluscs, and crustaceans for land-based and water-based aquaculture facilities.
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administer treatments to fish
Administer treatments to fish, including vaccination of fish by immersion and injection, continually monitoring fish for signs of stress.
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treat fish diseases
Identify the symptoms of fish diseases. Apply appropriate measures to treat or eliminate diagnosed conditions.
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monitor treated fish
Monitor treated fish to evaluate the effect of treatments.
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prepare fish treatment facilities
Prepare fish treatment facilities to effectively isolate contaminated fish during treatment. Control the application of treatments to avoid contaminating other stock, containers and the wider environment.
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control aquatic production environment
Assess the impact of biological conditions such as algae and fouling organisms by managing water intakes, catchments and oxygen use.
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monitor fish health status
Monitor the health of fish, based on feeding and general behaviour. Interpret environmental parameters and analyse mortalities.
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inspect fish stock
Collect and examine fish to evaluate the health of fish stock.
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monitor fish mortality rates
Monitor fish mortalities and assess possible causes.
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preserve fish samples for diagnosis
Collect and preserve larval, fish and mollusc samples or lesions for diagnosis by fish disease specialists.
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send samples to laboratory
Forward collected samples to the concerned laboratory, following strict procedures related to the labeling and tracking of the information on the samples.
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collect fish samples for diagnosis
Collect fish and shellfish samples for diagnosis by fish diseases specialists.
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gather experimental data
Collect data resulting from the application of scientific methods such as test methods, experimental design or measurements.
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collect biological data
Collect biological specimens, record and summarise biological data for use in technical studies, developing environmental management plans and biological products.
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use specialised equipment
Use specialised equipment such as electron microscope, telemetry, digital imaging analysis, global positioning systems, and computer modelling in studies and analyses of production methodology.
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perform laboratory tests
Carry out tests in a laboratory to produce reliable and precise data to support scientific research and product testing.
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write routine reports
Compose regular reports by writing clear observations on the monitored processes in a respective field.
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write work-related reports
Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does aquatic animal health professional fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of aquatic animals might I work with?
- You could specialize in a particular group, such as farmed fish (salmon, trout, tilapia), ornamental fish, marine mammals, or amphibians. Many professionals work with a diverse range of species depending on the setting.
- What kind of training or education is required to become an aquatic animal health professional?
- Typically, a degree in veterinary medicine, zoology, aquaculture, or a related field is required. Specific training in aquatic animal health is highly valuable, often gained through internships, research experience, or specialized courses.
- How does this role contribute to sustainability?
- By preventing and controlling disease outbreaks, aquatic animal health professionals help ensure the sustainability of aquaculture operations and the health of wild aquatic populations. Their work minimizes the need for antibiotics and other interventions, promoting responsible practices.
- Aquatic Animal Health Professional — is there a shortage in Europe?
- Yes. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a shortage was reported in 11 of the 13 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece and 7 more. Netherlands has reported one for 3 consecutive years. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Aquatic Animal Health Professional — what does it pay in the United States?
- $125,510 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $88,650 to $163,920. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.