Industry snapshot for candidates
Aquaculture involves the farming of fish, prawns, crustaceans and other edible marine organisms. Both freshwater and saltwater seafood breeds must be cultivated under controlled conditions. Aquaculture’s controlled conditions differ greatly from commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish.
Our aquaculture clients are involved in exporting and supplying Australian retailers with fresh and frozen crab, mussels, salmon, tuna, barramundi, prawns, trout and various other types of fish.
Throughout the world, Australian seafood is renowned for its freshness and quality. We are proud to have sourced quality candidates for some of Australia’s most reputable aquaculture organisations.
Currently, our aquaculture clients are mainly based in Tasmania and Queensland, with plans to expand into other states in the near future. Jobs in aquaculture are an even mix of short-term and permanent roles, with more casual staff required in specific seasonal and peak harvest periods.
Aquaculture working conditions and compliance
As you would expect, aquaculture employees spend a lot of time working outdoors and around water. Aquaculture is also a field where automation, computers and other machinery are used to support the farm’s operational processes, necessitating a variety of office-based roles.
Depending on the role, aquaculture conditions can be physically demanding at times, which means employees must demonstrate a reasonable level of physical robustness.
Clients in the aquaculture industry generally employ a high volume of international staff on working visas to meet demand during peak periods. As international employers, aquaculture clients must be vigilant about visa compliance. Our recruiters are here to ensure that placed candidates have the right to work and that the correct industrial agreements are in place.
We use industry leading cloud-based software to manage all visa and industrial relations compliance requirements to give clients 100 per cent confidence.
Why clients prefer Agri Labour Australia
Our understanding of the specific requirements of aquaculture roles is what keeps aquaculture clients coming back – as does the fact that we have a local presence on the ground in prime aquaculture areas, including Devonport in Tasmania.
Agri Labour Australia’s extensive domestic and international footprint allows us to connect with more candidates than other recruitment providers.
As livestock recruitment specialists, we regularly recruit people with extensive experience with other types of animals into the aquaculture industry. We find these candidates have a range of transferrable skills. For example, managing a large poultry farm translates neatly into fish farm management.
What makes the ideal aquaculture candidate?
When recruiting for aquaculture roles, prior industry experience is highly regarded but not essential. Our recruiters also look for a candidate’s ability to work with livestock and whether they understand the importance of maintaining consistent conditions and identifying irregularities. Genuinely caring about the health of livestock is also essential.
Attention to detail and a clear understanding of what clients expect are desirable attributes when sourcing aquaculture staff. Ideally, candidates should demonstrate a willingness to be flexible about meeting industry demands and adapting to changing operational requirements. As with many agricultural fields, conditions can change depending on the weather and other natural events beyond their employer’s control.
When briefing our recruiters on available roles, aquaculture clients tell us they are looking for a number of other traits in candidates. Some of these include:
- High standards in animal husbandry
- An understanding of aquaculture standards
- The ability to meet deadlines
- Experience working collaboratively as a team
- The ability to provide solutions under pressure
- An appreciation for the bigger picture
- Good observation skills
- Sense of urgency
- Cultural fit
- Willingness to develop their skill set over time.
Aquaculture roles we recruit for
With large facilities and diverse operational recruitments, the personnel recruitments of aquaculture facilities are many and various. Roles we recruit for include:
- Aquaculture farm hands
- Aquaculture technicians
- Water quality technicians
- Farm managers
- Assistant farm managers
- Aquaculture farm attendants
- Maintenance technicians
- Aquaculture hatchery technicians
- Aquaculture scientists
- Team leaders
- Senior aquaculture technicians
- Forklift/tractor operators
- Fish health managers
- Veterinarians
- Commercial managers
- Nursery attendants
