Fisheries Officer - ANZSCO 311311
Skilled occupation profile
Fisheries Officer
ANZSCO 311311Fisheries Officer inspects fishing vessels, gear, licences and catches to ensure that fisheries laws and regulations are obeyed.
Occupation guide
Occupation details and migration pathways
This guide brings together the key occupation tasks, possible visa pathways and skills assessment information for Fisheries Officer ANZSCO 311311.
Typical tasks and duties
Fisheries officers may perform the following tasks:
- patrol and investigate waterways for unlawful fishing activities and the removal of protected marine life
- ensure relevant laws and regulations are obeyed
- inspect fishing vessels, fishing gear and processing establishments to ensure compliance
- survey oyster, pearling, fishing and prawning leases to ensure regulations are observed
- advise industry personnel on fishing regulations, export standards and the renewal of fishing licences
- check that fish are sold through legal markets and that fish markets do not sell undersized fish
- investigate alleged breaches of legislation
- prepare reports and provide evidence in court when required
- assist in the supervision of shark nets
- identify, survey and monitor areas and activities that affect fish and their habitats
- promote marine management programmes and policies
- educate, advise and provide information to recreational fishers, as well as industry about a wide range of topics relating to fish and their protection
- assist other agencies by responding to emergency situations such as oil spills, the beaching of whales, and shark-related incidents
- provide assistance in research programmes
- keep vessels and equipment in good order
- produce statistical reports and undertake other clerical duties.
Possible visa pathways
This occupation appears on Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Occupations. The right visa pathway depends on factors such as your age, English level, qualifications, work experience, skills assessment, points score, nomination options and employer sponsorship.
Skills assessment
For skilled migration purposes, Fisheries Officer usually requires a suitable skills assessment. Relevant assessing authorities may include:
Additional occupation-specific assessment information
Fisheries Officer is classified as Group C occupations by Vetassess. The criteria for skills assessment of Group C occupations are the following :
- Qualification(s) assessed at least AQF Diploma level with a highly relevant field of study and at least one year of post qualification highly relevant employment in the last five years; Or
- Qualification(s) assessed at least AQF Diploma level with an additional qualification at least AQF Certificate IV in a highly relevant field of study and at least one year of post-qualification highly relevant employment in the last five years; Or
- Qualification(s) assessed at least AQF Diploma level without a highly relevant field of study and at least two years of post-qualification highly relevant employment in the last five years;
According to Vetassess, if you have pre-qualification employment and if all of your employment is before your qualification assessed at the AQF diploma level, three years of highly relevant employment in addition to at least one year of highly relevant employment completed in the last five years.
Legacy subclass 187 pathway
Do you currently hold, or have you previously held, a subclass 457 or 482 visa?
If you have worked for a sponsoring employer in regional Australia, please note that Fisheries Officer — ANZSCO 311311 was included in the legacy Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) occupation list. The subclass 187 Direct Entry stream is closed to new applications, but the Temporary Residence Transition stream may remain available to certain transitional subclass 457 and subclass 482 workers. Eligibility is limited and depends on your visa history, relevant dates, sponsored regional employment, employer nomination, age, English and other requirements. Being included on this occupation list does not establish eligibility.
If this may describe your circumstances, we can assess whether the subclass 187 transitional arrangements may still apply to you.
Check your options
Check your skilled migration options
If Fisheries Officer is your nominated occupation, complete our skilled visa assessment form so we can review your possible migration pathways.
Reviewed by Principal Migration Consultant
Reviewed by Mohammad Reza Azimi
This occupation page has been reviewed for migration context by Shada Migration Services. Mohammad has assisted clients with Australian migration matters since 2009 and holds a Graduate Certificate in Migration Law from the Australian National University.
Last reviewed: July 2026
