"Nuu-chah-nulth people are known to eat the meat of suuhaa as well as the roe and head. Some believe fish heads taste better when they’re bigger, and that ocean suuhaa tastes better than those in freshwater, which are called sacup. This salmon has a high-fat content and Nuu-chah-nulth people ate it fresh before Europeans introduced canning."
Is processing seafood for you?
If the majority of these statements apply, you should consider adding value to your Nation’s seafood
- It’s important to me to keep up the traditional ways of preserving seafood shown to me by my Elders.
- I enjoy cooking and preparing foods, and I might even like to use family recipes and sell seafood commercially.
- I don’t mind working long hours for a shorter season or learning business skills to run my own business year round.
Uu-a-thluk
taking care of
What’s It All About?
Workers in fish and seafood processing clean, prepare, package, and inspect seafood. Depending on their level of training and responsibility, workers may operate equipment like forklifts or cutting machines. They may grow and manage fish health and maintain a clean and safe site by performing maintenance, and setting up and closing sites. Managers would typically provide support to a team on the farm, ensure a healthy lifecycle, implement, monitor and report on programs with the goal of meeting regulatory compliance.
What Do You Need?
Fish plant workers have some high school education and a Food Safe certificate. In some instances this career may require on-the-job training.
Forklift and fish cutting machine operators have some high school education and a machine operator’s certificate. Some employers offer this certificate on-the-job.
General managers have training and experience in food processing, sanitation, management techniques, and quality control.
Fish product inspectors have a college diploma in chemistry, microbiology, or food processing. Some jobs require a university degree such as a degree in law and public safety manufacturing and biology or chemistry. Completion of in-house training courses is required.
What Can you Earn?
These positions are often seasonal/part-time positions.
Fish and seafood plant workers usually earn between $37,701 and $44,840 calculated annually ($15.20/hour and $21.50/hour) in Canada.
Fish plant managers such as manufacturing managers usually earn between $50,138 and $152,082 calculated annually ($24.04/hour and $72.92/hour) in Canada.
Fish product inspectors tend to earn between $19.00/hour and $42.92/hour in Canada. The annual salary range for this job is $78,606 for full-time.
Sample Employers
- First Nation shellfish operations
- Shellfish hatcheries and nurseries
- Shellfish depuration facilities
- Fish farm companies
- First Nations fish hatcheries
- Government and non-profit fish hatcheries
Sample Jobs
Shellfish
- Shellfish Crew Workers
Hatcheries
- Fish Hatchery Technicians
- Fish Hatchery Project Managers
- Fish Culturists
Commercial Fish Farms
- Fish Farm Technicians
- Fish Farm Managers
Fish Cutting Machine Operator – Fish Processing in British Columbia. (2022, April 8). Government of Canada Job Bank. Retrieved May 7, 2022, from https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/18405/BC
Fish Processing Plant Manager in British Columbia. (2022, April 8). Government of Canada Job Bank. Retrieved May 7, 2022, from https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/60/BC
Fish Products Inspector in Canada. (2022, April 8). Government of Canada Job Bank. Retrieved May 7, 2022, from https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/3178/ca
Fish Products Inspector in Canada. (2021, March 25). WorkBC. Retrieved May 7, 2022, from
https://www.workbc.ca/careers/2222
