Hunt, trap, catch, or gather wild animals or aquatic animals and plants. May use nets, traps, or other equipment. May haul catch onto ship or other vessel.
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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. Fishing and Hunting Workers is licensed or registered in 20 of 57 states and territories, as reported by each state to CareerOneStop. A license often applies only to certain roles within a career, and records were last updated between 2010 and 2024, so confirm requirements with the state licensing board.
Certifications. CareerOneStop directly links 1 professional certification to Fishing and Hunting Workers. 1 of them are in CareerOneStop's "Core" group, for example: Certified Two-Handed Casting Instructor (THCI). Certifications are voluntary credentials offered by the organizations named; listing one is not an endorsement.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Industries that employ this career. The largest shares of fishing and hunting workers work in Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (84%), Transportation and Warehousing (7%) and Public Administration (2%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).
Union membership. In the broad group "Farming, fishing, and forestry", which includes this career, 2.4% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to fishing and hunting workers.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Natural resources, construction, and maintenance", which includes this career, 74% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 79% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 78% had paid sick leave, 86% paid vacation and 89% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to fishing and hunting workers, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $48.59 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Natural resources, construction, and maintenance" in June 2026 ($32.96 in wages and salaries and $15.63 in benefits, 32.2% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for fishing and hunting workers are: outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions (100%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (89%), freedom to make decisions (85%), telephone conversations (80%), physical proximity (78%), contact with others (75%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (40% of 20 respondents) was "none"; for on-site or in-plant training, the most common answer (35% of 20 respondents) was "none"; for on-the-job training, the most common answer (42% of 19 respondents) was "anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to fishing and hunting workers in the work done and the skills used: Sailors and Marine Oilers, Motorboat Operators, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals, Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse, Forest and Conservation Workers, Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers, Agricultural Equipment Operators (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Compare fishing and hunting workers with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →