Also called: Pond Aquaculture Farmer, Fish Farm Operator
Raises catfish, tilapia, or shrimp in ponds and tanks, managing water, feed, and harvest.
On a Mississippi catfish farm, the day starts at 3 a.m. checking oxygen levels so fish don't suffocate, then feeding hundreds of ponds from trucks and seining fish for the processing plant.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. Usually learned on family farms; aquaculture degrees and extension programs help.
Ways in: On-the-job training, 4-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Aquaculture, Fisheries Science, Agricultural Business.
Growing about average. Catfish farming is concentrated in Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Automated aerators and feeders cut labor; pond management and running the business stay human.
Classes: Biology, Agriculture science, Business.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9013.
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