About the job
This group includes fish and seafood plant machine operators who set up and operate machinery to process and package fish and seafood products, and fish and seafood plant cutters and cleaners who cut, trim and clean fish or seafood by hand. Fish and seafood plant workers are employed in fish and seafood processing plants.
- Set up and operate machines to clean, cut, cook, smoke, brine, dehydrate, or otherwise process fish or seafood products.
- Set up and operate machines to can, bag, box or otherwise package fish and seafood products.
- Check products and packaging for defects and to ensure conformance to company standards and perform corrective machine adjustments as required.
- Record production information such as quantity, weight, date and type of products packaged.
- Cut, clean and trim fish or seafood prior to marketing or further processing.
- Scrape away scales, cut fish, separate fillets and remove scrap parts using knife.
- Check fish fillets to determine optimal number and size of fillet sections, cut sections according to specifications and place in container for weighing.
- Disjoint and remove meat from lobsters or other crustaceans preparatory to canning or further processing.
- fish cleaner and cutter - fish processing
- fish cutting machine operator - fish processing
- fish plant worker
- fish processor
- lobster processor - fish processing
- seafood preparer - fish and seafood processing
To work in these jobs, you should be responsible, alert, and in good physical health. Coordination, agility, and a mechanical aptitude are important. You must also be able to take direction and carry out instructions given by a supervisor.
- Some secondary school education may be required.
- On-the-job training is required.
Shift work may be typical for many of these jobs. Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Labour Market Information
The employment outlook over the next few years for this occupational group is “good”, which indicates the chances of a qualified individual finding work is better than average when compared to other occupations in Nova Scotia. This is a fairly large occupation in Nova Scotia so job opportunities occur fairly regularly. The number employed in this occupation is expected to grow moderately over the next few years, which will likely provide some additional opportunities for employment. With a large percent of workers being 55 years of age and older, retirements are expected to be a key contributor to employment opportunities over the coming years. Fish and Seafood Plant Workers may either be working full-time or part-time hours. Furthermore, the jobs are typically temporary positions (such as a term, contract, or casual work). With employment conditions being seasonal in nature, periods of downtime or layoff throughout the year are fairly common.
The median employment income for 12% of Fish and Seafood Plant Workers who worked full-time, year-round in 2015 was $29,584. Across all occupations in Nova Scotia, 59% of those who worked full-time year round had a median employment income of $43,600.
(Source: 2016 Census)
| Occupation | Estimated employment in 2018 | Estimated change in employment between 2017 and 2019 | Estimated openings due to growth and retirements, 2017-2019 | Estimated rate of unemployment in 2018 | Estimated hourly earnings in 2015 (learn more) | Estimated annual earnings in 2015 |
| Fish and Seafood Plant Workers | 875 | Moderate growth | 60 | Moderate | Minimum: $11.40 Median: $13.50 Maximum: $21.00 | Minimum: $2,186 Median: $12,539 Maximum: $36,046 |
| Occupations in Manufacturing and Utilities | 15,275 | Weak growth | 1,275 | Moderate | Minimum: $12.00 Median: $18.75 Maximum: $30.00 | Minimum: $6,056 Median: $30,111 Maximum: $70,518 |
| Fish and Seafood Plant Workers | Compared to: Occupations in Manufacturing and Utilities | |
| Percent employed full-time | 70% | 87% |
| Percent self-employed | 0% | 3% |
| Area of Employment | Fish and Seafood Plant Workers | Compared to: All NS Occupations | ||
| % Employed | Median Annual Income | % Employed | Median Annual Income | |
| Southern | 60% | $15,222 | 12% | $30,581 |
| Northern | 10% | $25,219 | 16% | $33,660 |
| Cape Breton | 17% | $15,010 | 13% | $32,974 |
| Halifax | 10% | $21,789 | 47% | $41,209 |
| Annapolis Valley | 4% | N/A | 13% | $32,958 |
| Age | Fish and Seafood Plant Workers | Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities |
| % Employed | % Employed | |
| 15-24 | 10% | 3% |
| 25-34 | 7% | 5% |
| 35-44 | 14% | 21% |
| 45-54 | 23% | 42% |
| 55-64 | 40% | 29% |
| 65+ | 7% | 3% |
| Median Age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender | Fish and Seafood Plant Workers | Compared to: Occupations in Manufacturing and Utilities |
| % Employed | % Employed | |
| Female | 43% | 28% |
| Male | 57% | 72% |
| Education | Fish and Seafood Plant Workers | Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities | ||
| % Employed | Median Annual Income | % Employed | Median Annual Income | |
| Less than high school | 41.3% | x | 22.9% | $21,011 |
| High school | 35.3% | x | 38.1% | $28,358 |
| Trades certificate | 6.0% | x | 12.4% | $37,356 |
| College certificate or diploma | 14.7% | x | 20.3% | $36,968 |
| University certificate or diploma | x | x | 1.1% | $35,915 |
| Bachelor's degree | 1.6% | x | 4.4% | $36,852 |
| University advanced certificate or diploma | x | x | 0.3% | $55,581 |
| Master's degree | 0.8% | x | 0.5% | x |
| Doctorate | x | x | N/A | $25,380 |
| Medicine, dentistry, veterinary, optometry | x | x | 0.1% | N/A |
| Total | 100% | 100% | ||
Hourly earnings data are from the Labour Force Survey by Statistics Canada. Data are not available for all occupations. Hourly earnings are calculated based on usual hours worked per week. This is how an annual salary, for instance, gets converted to an hourly rate. The data include full and part-time workers along with new and experienced workers. Self-employed workers are excluded.
Annual employment income data reported in the Work Prospects section, are from the 2011 National Household Survey by Statistics Canada. Much of the data (around 70%) came directly from tax records. The data relates to the year 2010 and includes total wages and salaries and net income from self-employment.
Employment Requirements & Contacts
Training Paths & Education
This instructional program class comprises any program that defines the prescribed requirements, specified by the appropriate jurisdiction, for the completion of and graduation from a secondary school program of academic subject matter offered for adult learners outside of the regular secondary school program. This does not include adult compensatory education programs resulting in completion of a high school equivalency certificate or diploma.
There are no additional resources for this occupation.