Limited data. The current dataset contains fewer than 3 rows matching fishing vessel types. This is because commercial fishing pay is not well-covered by the public wage surveys (ITF TCC, Spinnaker, Danica) that underpin the rest of this dataset. See salary methodology & confidence grades for a full explanation of how confidence is assigned and what low-confidence rows mean for practical use.
Commercial fishing encompasses a wide range of vessel types — coastal inshore fishing boats under 24 metres, offshore trawlers operating in the North Sea, North Atlantic, and Pacific, distant-water factory ships processing catch at sea for months at a time, and specialist longliners, purse-seiners, and pot-haulers. Unlike merchant shipping, which is primarily governed by MLC 2006, fishing vessels fall under the ILO Work in Fishing Convention (ILO C188), a separate but analogous instrument covering minimum rest, medical care, work agreements, and repatriation rights. Pay structures in commercial fishing are often share-based (a percentage of catch value) rather than fixed monthly wages, which makes cross-vessel salary comparison difficult.
Understanding fishing vessel pay structures
Fixed-wage contracts exist on large factory ships and distant-water vessels operated by major companies (e.g. Maruha Nichiro, Thai Union, Espersen). These are the most comparable to merchant shipping wages. Share-based (lay system) pay is more common on smaller vessels — crew earn a retainer plus a percentage of catch revenue, which can produce very high earnings in a good season but falls to the retainer floor in poor conditions. Any vessel engaging in commercial fishing with crew should document pay terms in a written work agreement, as required by ILO C188.
What affects pay on fishing vessels
Vessel size and operation type. Factory ships and large offshore trawlers pay fixed wages; inshore vessels use share systems.
Species and season. High-value species (tuna, lobster, scallop) produce larger crew shares when catch is good.
Flag and ILO C188 ratification. Vessels flagged in C188 ratifying states must meet minimum rest and pay conditions; non-ratifying states may not enforce these.
Operating region. Norwegian, Icelandic, and EU fishing pay is typically higher than Asian distant-water fishing pay under share systems.
Skipper certification. National fishing skipper licences are required in most flag states; these are separate from STCW commercial certificates.
Frequently asked questions
Are fishing vessel crew covered by MLC 2006?
MLC 2006 does not cover fishing vessels. The ILO Work in Fishing Convention (ILO C188), which entered into force in 2017, is the equivalent instrument for fishing crew. C188 covers minimum rest periods, medical care, work agreements, and repatriation. Ratification is lower than MLC 2006 — check whether your flag state and the vessel's flag have ratified C188 before signing.
Why is salary data limited for fishing vessels?
Commercial fishing pay is not well-covered by the public wage surveys (ITF TCC, Spinnaker, Danica, Faststream) that form the basis of this dataset, which focuses primarily on commercial merchant shipping. Fishing pay is often share-based (a percentage of catch value) rather than a fixed monthly wage, making standardised comparison difficult. See the methodology page for how confidence grades are assigned.
What is share-based fishing pay and how does it work?
Many fishing vessels pay crew a base retainer plus a share of the catch revenue, called a lay system. A senior deckhand might earn a 3–5% share of the vessel's gross catch earnings. In a good season this can substantially exceed a fixed wage; in a poor season the retainer alone may apply. Share arrangements should be documented in the crew agreement — absence of written terms is a red flag.
Where can fishing vessel crew report unpaid wages or abuse?
The ITF Fishers and Seafarers Union (FFAW), national fishing industry unions, and the ILO C188 flag-state inspection regime are the primary routes. In many countries the Port State Control (PSC) authority also has jurisdiction over fishing vessels calling at port. For urgent cases, the ITF global network of inspectors covers fishing vessels in most major fishing ports.
Disclaimer. Salary ranges are point-in-time estimates from public sources. They do not constitute a wage offer, a binding rate, or legal advice. Fishing vessel crew should verify against their written work agreement and the flag-state implementation of ILO C188.