Boatswain to fisheries master
A boatswain already meets 49% of what the fisheries master role asks for. The move turns on 21 required skills not yet in the profile.
64.6/ 100
1 How much of what a fisheries master is expected to do is already part of a boatswain’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the fisheries master role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A fisheries master role treats 23 of its required skills as things a boatswain already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
- International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
- apply fishing maneuvres
- assessment of risks and threats
- code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
- communicate using the global maritime distress and safety system
What stands in the way is 21 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 25 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A fisheries master role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a boatswain background worth leading with.
- already held coordinate fish handling operations handling and moving
- already held apply fishing maneuvres working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held evaluate schools of fish information skills
- already held prepare fishing equipment management skills
- already held support vessel manoeuvres working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held maintain safe navigation watches working with machinery and specialised equipment
All 25 carried skills, including the 23 the fisheries master role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 31 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn ensure vessel compliance with regulations required
- still to learn prevent sea pollution required
- still to learn undertake navigation safety actions required
- still to learn prepare safety exercises on ships required
- still to learn provide first aid required
- still to learn work in outdoor conditions required
- optional, not held manage groups outdoors optional
- optional, not held deal with challenging work conditions optional
- still to learn assess trim of vessels required
- still to learn conduct water navigation required
- still to learn operate ship rescue machinery required
- still to learn recognise abnormalities on board required
- still to learn use water navigation devices required
- still to learn coordinate cargo handling required
- still to learn schedule fishing required
- still to learn coordinate fire fighting required
- optional, not held adapt to changes on a boat optional
- optional, not held lead a team optional
- still to learn assess stability of vessels required
- still to learn use meteorological information required
- optional, not held evaluate outdoor activities optional
- optional, not held implement risk management for outdoors optional
- still to learn deterioration of fish products required
- still to learn fishing industry required
- still to learn provide on-board safety training required
- optional, not held communicate in an outdoor setting optional
- optional, not held handle challenging situations in fishery operations optional
- optional, not held respond to changing situations in fishery optional
- optional, not held work in a multicultural environment in fishery optional
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a fisheries master role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 coordinate cargo handling practise this
- 02 assess stability of vessels practise this
- 03 assess trim of vessels practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 25 skills that carry over
- already held Global Maritime Distress and Safety System knowledge
- already held International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships knowledge
- already held apply fishing maneuvres skill
- already held assessment of risks and threats knowledge
- already held code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries knowledge
- already held communicate using the global maritime distress and safety system skill
- already held coordinate fish handling operations skill
- already held evaluate schools of fish skill
- already held extinguish fires skill
- already held fisheries legislation knowledge
- already held fisheries management knowledge
- already held fishing gear knowledge
- already held fishing vessels knowledge
- already held international regulations for preventing collisions at sea knowledge
- already held maintain safe navigation watches skill
- already held pollution prevention knowledge
- already held quality of fish products knowledge
- already held risks associated with undertaking fishing operations knowledge
- already held support vessel manoeuvres skill
- already held survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment skill
- already held swim skill
- already held train employees skill
- already held use maritime English skill
- already held prepare fishing equipment skill
- already held preserve fish products skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn secure cargo in stowage required
- still to learn maritime meteorology required
10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held adapt to changes on a boat optional
- optional, not held communicate in an outdoor setting optional
- optional, not held evaluate outdoor activities optional
- optional, not held handle challenging situations in fishery operations optional
- optional, not held implement risk management for outdoors optional
- optional, not held manage groups outdoors optional
- optional, not held respond to changing situations in fishery optional
- optional, not held work in a multicultural environment in fishery optional
- optional, not held deal with challenging work conditions optional
- optional, not held lead a team optional
11 held skills the fisheries master role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role assist in ship maintenance skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate the ship crew skill
- not needed by the target role handle cargo skill
- not needed by the target role handle fish products skill
- not needed by the target role operate ship equipment skill
- not needed by the target role operate vessel critical systems skill
- not needed by the target role participate in the organisation of emergency drills skill
- not needed by the target role prepare aquatic inventory reports skill
- not needed by the target role report to captain skill
- not needed by the target role stand watch on vessel skill
- not needed by the target role use fishing vessel equipment skill
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn maritime meteorology required
- still to learn deterioration of fish products required
- still to learn fishing industry required
Common questions about this move
Can a boatswain become a fisheries master?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A boatswain already covers 49% of what a fisheries master is expected to do: 25 skills carry over, 23 of which the fisheries master role treats as required.
What skills does a boatswain need to become a fisheries master?
21 required skills are missing, plus 10 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by assisting and caring. The single most important is coordinate cargo handling.
How hard is the move from boatswain to fisheries master?
Its learning distance is 64.6 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.