On Foot Aquatic Resources Collector
Snapshot
On foot aquatic resources collectors collect spat and seaweed, as well as shellfish or any other aquatic animal, such as crustacean and echinoderms, or vegetable resources.
As an on foot aquatic resources collector, your work centers around gathering specific aquatic life and plant matter from intertidal zones and shallow coastal waters. This often involves walking along shorelines, wading in water, and using simple tools to collect spat (young shellfish), seaweed, shellfish, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other designated aquatic resources. The work is physically demanding and requires an understanding of tides, weather conditions, and sustainable harvesting practices.
- • Identifying and selecting target aquatic resources (e.g., specific types of seaweed or shellfish).
- • Harvesting resources manually, following established quotas and regulations.
- • Transporting collected resources to processing or storage areas.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers — 14 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Latvia.
Longest-running shortage: Latvia, 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.
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, Ireland, Malta)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | — | −4.6% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +24.5% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
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Future Outlook for on foot aquatic resources collector
The outlook for on foot aquatic resources collector 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 on foot aquatic resources collector 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
Most tasks here are AI-assistable rather than purely human-led.
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- monitor aquaculture stock health standards
- preserve fish products
- manage aquatic resources
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 on foot aquatic resources collector
09 09:00 · Morning manage aquatic resources
10 10:30 · Mid-morning collect aquatic resources
12 12:00 · Midday collect broodstock
14 14:00 · Afternoon collect live fish
15 15:30 · Late afternoon manage spat collection equipment
17 17:00 · Wrap-up monitor aquaculture stock health standards
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.
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monitor aquaculture stock health standards
Perform activities that ensure monitoring and implementation of aquaculture health standards and health analysis of the fish population.
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manage aquatic resources
Collect and select fish or other organisms from the culture environment. Handle, clean and classify the specimen. Prepare for harvesting and transport to the point of sale. Adapt techniques depending on the specific species, the next step in the process, and the final purpose.
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collect live fish
Gather fish using techniques which minimise the stress caused to fish and avoid fish escapes occurring.
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collect aquatic resources
Collects spat and seaweed, as well as shellfish or any other aquatic animal (i.e. crustacean and echinoderms) or vegetable resource. Uses the appropriate equipment depending on the species.
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manage spat collection equipment
Assemble spat collection equipment to be deployed at sea. Deploy the spat collection equipment to maximise the yield and maintain it in working order.
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monitor live fish collection
Monitor conditions during gathering of live fish, including stress in the fish.
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collect broodstock
Source broodstock from fisheries and held them in maturation tanks before collecting their seeds.
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preserve fish products
Place and classify fish products for proper conservation. Maintain suitable conditions for the conservation of fishery products.
fisheries legislation
The study and analysis of different fisheries management approaches taking into account international treaties and industry norms in order to analyze fisheries management regulations.
- fishing industry
Path to become an on foot aquatic resources collector
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Primary education
17 programmes in 13 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 9 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Koulutuskeskus Salpaus · Finland
These are 4 of 26.
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: YÖK Atlas, Council of Higher Education (yokatlas.yok.gov.tr).
- 4. Source: Malta Qualifications Registry, Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (qualifications.mfhea.gov.mt).
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does on foot aquatic resources collector fit?
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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 training or experience is helpful for this role?
What are the typical working conditions like?
Are there any specific regulations or permits I need to be aware of?
Is there a shortage of On Foot Aquatic Resources Collector in Europe?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data