Fishing Leading Hand

A Fishing Leading Hand supervises and coordinates fishing operations on commercial fishing vessels, directing crew members in catch handling, net deployment, and vessel operations. They ensure compliance with Australian fisheries regulations, manage daily vessel logistics, and maintain safety and quality standards during fishing activities at sea.

Direct and supervise crew members in deploying fishing nets, lines, or traps according to vessel procedures and catch targets. Monitor catch quality and quantity, sorting and storing fish using appropriate icing, refrigeration, or preservation methods to maintain freshness. Inspect fishing equipment including nets, lines, winches, and hydraulic systems for damage or wear, and coordinate repairs or replacements. Maintain compliance with Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) regulations regarding catch limits, species restrictions, and logbook recording requirements. Record catch data, vessel position, weather conditions, and fuel consumption in daily logbooks as required by fisheries legislation. Allocate crew work schedules and tasks based on fishing conditions, vessel needs, and individual crew capabilities. Conduct safety briefings and enforce vessel safety procedures that meet Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) requirements, including personal protective equipment use and emergency procedures. Operate or oversee operation of fish-finding sonar, GPS navigation systems, and communication equipment to locate fishing grounds.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll be away from home for weeks or months at a time on the water, in all weather conditions. The work is physically demanding and often dangerous, with real risks of injury from moving equipment and the sea. Pay depends heavily on the catch and vessel owner's success, so income can be unpredictable. Most roles require you to start as deck crew first.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 8992, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Apply fishing maneuvrescore
• Fisheries legislationcore
• Fishing gearcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• International regulations for preventing collisions at seacore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Preserve fish productscore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality of fish productscore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Risks associated with undertaking fishing operationscore
• Rostering and Scheduling Supportcore
• Swimcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workflow Prioritisationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Attention to Detail
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
• Conflict Resolution
• Delivery Scheduling
• Deterioration of fish products
• Extinguish fires
• Fisheries management
• Fishing industry
• Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Inventory Tracking
• Record Management
• Supplier Communication
• Support vessel manoeuvres
• Survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026