The industry encompasses government funded fisheries research, privately funded research in the form of Fishery Trusts etc, commercial trout fisheries, District Salmon Boards, fishing guides/ghillies, angling clubs and riparian owners of fishing rights.

It is estimated that, in Scotland, approximately 3,000 people are directly employed within fisheries management.  A high percentage of staff employed are seasonal.  Over 75% of businesses and clubs also make use of volunteers to sustain their activities.

Key statistics on the industry:

• average age of employee is 40 years
• only 9% of workforce is  aged 16-24 years
• 33% of the workforce aged 35-44 years, the highest proportion

The industry that has largely depended upon graduates for the future workforce, but there is an apparent lack of young people coming into the sector.

20% of businesses expected their labour requirements to increase over the next year and 12% of businesses have vacancies.  Difficulties were identified in recruiting managers and skilled staff resulting from a low number of applicants with the required skills and few people interested in the work.

Education and training in fisheries management is delivered by a network of specialist providers, both public and private.  The most popular qualifications are the Edexcel qualifications: National Diploma in Fish Management; National Award in Fish Management (notional N/SVQ level 3); and the First Diploma in Fish Husbandry (notional N/SVQ level 2).  Edexcel and SQA are the dominant awarding bodies within the industry of fisheries management.

The skills gaps and priorities for training are similar to those identifies in the environmental conservation industry.

Future skills in the industry include:

• technical skills for new technologies and new monitoring techniques in response to the Water Framework Directive
• planning and organisation
• communication skills
• leadership, problem solving, team building and conflict resolution
• management, sales and marketing skills
• computing and advanced IT
• customer service

In environmental conservation and fisheries management, almost 20% of employers report skills gaps.  Future skills needs will be for communication, literacy and numeracy, flexibility, willingness to learn and initiative. 

Industry drivers affecting future work and employment include:

• changing policy and legislation around employment, health and safety and the environment
• increasing customer demands
• technological advances particularly in monitoring, research and development
• the influences of the social agenda, such as social inclusion, tourism, voluntary sector involvement and environmental education projects
• the growing importance of environmental concerns
• resource management and development creating sustainable fisheries
• the influences of globalisation
• increasing importance of bio-security, such as contingency planning, fish movement controls and alien species

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005 and Fisheries Management Industry report 2005