Description
Plan, direct, and coordinate operations of a fish or shellfish hatchery, overseeing broodstock management, spawning, incubation, and rearing. Hire, train, and supervise hatchery staff; manage biosecurity, water quality, facilities, budgets, and compliance. Coordinate stocking, sales, and logistics, and oversee record-keeping, maintenance, and marketing.
- • Plan, schedule, and oversee spawning, egg collection, incubation, hatching, and fry/fingerling rearing.
- • Collect and record growth, survival, feed conversion, and environmental data.
- • Monitor and manage water quality parameters, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia, nitrite, and salinity.
- • Implement and enforce biosecurity and fish health protocols to prevent disease.
- • Conduct or supervise health examinations to detect diseases, parasites, or stress.
- • Coordinate selection, conditioning, and maintenance of broodstock.
- • Direct and monitor trapping, spawning, fertilization, and egg disinfection procedures.
- • Optimize production plans, species mix, and lot sizes based on permits, budgets, and market or stocking needs.
- • Program and regulate life-support systems, including aeration, filtration, oxygenation, and recirculating aquaculture controls.
- • Inspect tanks, raceways, ponds, and equipment; schedule and perform maintenance and repairs.
- • Develop and follow feeding regimes and grading schedules to achieve target growth and uniformity.
- • Direct and monitor transfers and stocking of fish to ponds, lakes, streams, or customer systems.
- • Coordinate packing, transport, and acclimation procedures to minimize stress and mortality.
- • Prepare and submit required reports to state and federal agencies.
- • Maintain financial, operational, inventory, and employment records.
- • Hire, train, schedule, and supervise hatchery technicians and seasonal staff.
- • Determine resource allocation and respond to emergencies such as equipment failure, oxygen depletion, contamination, or extreme weather.
- • Procure feed, chemicals, oxygen, equipment, broodstock, and supplies; manage vendor relationships.
- • Evaluate marketing, sales, and distribution options for hatchery products.
- • Negotiate contracts or pricing for fish sales, stocking services, or research collaborations.
- • Develop and enforce safety policies, environmental compliance, and standard operating procedures.
- • Plan and supervise construction or upgrades of tanks, raceways, piping, filtration, and monitoring systems.
- • Calibrate and maintain sensors, meters, alarms, and control systems.
- • Analyze production data to improve hatch rates, survival, growth, and cost efficiency.
- • Coordinate record-keeping, inventory counts, and requisitioning activities.
- • Oversee chemical handling and water treatment applications in compliance with regulations.
- • Engage with customers and partners to provide guidance on transport, stocking, and post-release care.
- • Monitor daily operations to ensure adherence to animal welfare and quality standards.
- • Obtain financing or prepare budgets for capital projects and operating needs.
- • Conduct risk assessments and implement contingency plans for disease outbreaks or system failures.
Related specializations
Interview options
Interview options
Interviewee gender
Interviewee accent
Available on paid plans only
Interview time
Related Pathways
Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
Learn more
Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
