Occupation intelligence

fishing net maker

Role lens

Do you enjoy working with your hands and have an eye for detail? As a fishing net maker, you’ll play a vital role in supporting the fishing industry by crafting and maintaining essential gear.

Summary

Fishing net makers are skilled craftspeople responsible for the creation, repair, and upkeep of fishing nets and related equipment. The work involves following technical drawings or traditional methods to assemble components, mend damaged sections, and ensure the nets are fit for purpose. This role often requires precision, patience, and a good understanding of materials and knotting techniques. You'll likely work within a workshop or alongside fishing crews.

Key responsibilities
  • • Constructing new fishing nets from twine, rope, and other materials.
  • • Repairing damaged nets by mending holes, replacing sections, and reinforcing weak points.
  • • Inspecting nets for wear and tear and recommending preventative maintenance.
Labour market

Where this occupation is in demand

Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.

Shortage reportedSurplus reportedReported in another yearNot covered by this source

Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.

Figures cover Handicraft and printing workers — 77 jobs including this one.

2 of 6 in shortage20252 of 16 growing89kopenings to 2035

In shortage: Bulgaria, Italy.

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.

Explore More

Find your career path and explore the science behind our recommendations.

Quick fit check

Could fishing net maker fit you?

Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.

Progress0/3

Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?

Do you enjoy tasks that require Initiative?

Do you enjoy tasks that require Dependability?

NexFuture™

Future Outlook for fishing net maker

The outlook for fishing net maker 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.

Play the future

How could fishing net maker change as AI adoption grows?

Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.

Significant task-level transformation is estimated in 18 years (around 2044) under the selected Expected Pace scenario.
~65%
Resilience
Automation Risk
EXP~15%
Human advantage
MOAT~75%

Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.

2026
2036
2049
AI Adoption Speed:

How AI may change this role

Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.

Human-owned 68% Human-owned
What still depends on people

Most tasks here are AI-assistable rather than purely human-led.

The Human Edge To stay ahead in this role, focus on fishing gear and pollution prevention. These human-centric skills are the hardest for AI to replicate in the next 20 years.
Assist 13% Assist
Where AI may become a co-pilot
  • repair sailing equipment
Automate 15% Automate
Tasks most exposed to automation

No single task here is highly automatable yet.

Detailed Analysis

Vital Signs & AI Vectors

AI Exposure Vectors

0-100%
Robotic & Physical Automation 13%

Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement

AI / Machine Learning 0%

Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks

Generative AI 0%

Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools

Cognitive Software 0%

Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation

Technical Details
Methodology: NexFuture v3.0 Sources: O*NET® 30.3, ESCO v1.2.1 Updated: Aug 2026

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.

Day in the life

What people in this role usually do

Advanced Manufacturing

Software & Technologies & Knowledge areas
Software & Technologies
Catchlog Trading CatchlogDeerDaysInventory management systemsMaxSea TIMEZEROMaxSea Time Zero Navigator NOAAMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareOLRAC Electronic Logbook Software SolutionP-Sea WindPlotSignet Nobeltec CatchStrat-Tech Deer Hunting ExpertTrimble MyTopo Terrain Navigator ProWinchester Ammunition Ballistics Calculator
Knowledge areas
  • fishing gear

    Identification of the different gear used in capture fisheries and their functional capacity.

  • fishing vessels

    Denomination of the different elements and equipment of fishing vessels.

  • risks associated with undertaking fishing operations

    General risks occuring when working on fishing boats and specific risks occurring only in some fishing modalities. Prevention of threats and accidents.

Cross-sector skills
  • pollution prevention
  • fisheries management
  • quality of fish products
Essential skills
assembling and fabricating products
  • repair sailing equipment

    Disassemble, repair and re-assemble equipment and components used for sailing such as sails, ropes and masts.

Core duties
  • repair sailing equipment

    Disassemble, repair and re-assemble equipment and components used for sailing such as sails, ropes and masts.

Skill DNA

Skill DNA

Work personality traits and values that define this role

Key traits you need
Attention to Detail Initiative Dependability Persistence Leadership Achievement/Effort Self-Control Stress Tolerance Cooperation Analytical Thinking Adaptability/Flexibility Independence Innovation Concern for Others Integrity Social Orientation
Key rewards you can expect
AchievementWorking Condit…RecognitionRelationshipsSupportIndependence
Career progression

Growth Pathways & Similar Roles

Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What skills are particularly important for a fishing net maker?
Strong manual dexterity, attention to detail, and the ability to follow instructions precisely are essential. Familiarity with different types of knots and netting techniques is also crucial. Problem-solving skills are needed to diagnose and repair damaged nets effectively.
Is prior experience in a similar field required?
While prior experience in textile work or a related craft can be beneficial, it’s not always essential. Many fishing net makers learn through apprenticeships or on-the-job training. A willingness to learn traditional techniques and adapt to modern methods is key.
What is the typical work environment like for a fishing net maker?
The work environment can vary. You might work in a workshop setting, often with limited space and potentially dusty conditions. Alternatively, you may work outdoors alongside fishing crews, exposed to the elements. Safety precautions are important, particularly when handling sharp tools and working near water.
Fishing Net Maker — is there a shortage in Europe?
No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 4 of the 6 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Spain, Finland, Romania. 2 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.