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Transport & StorageISCO 8350

Boatswain

Boatswains organise the crew on deck and at the fishing hold to execute the orders received from a superior. They coordinate the operations of maintenance, manoeuvres, assembly and repair of fishing gear and sorting, processing and preserving of the catches while observing the hygienic standards and established safety regulations.

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Check yourself in a minute: boatswain

Rate 5 of the 27 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

participate in the organisation of emergency drills

preserve fish products

extinguish fires

handle fish products

assist in ship maintenance

About boatswain

As a boatswain, you serve as a key leadership figure on fishing vessels, responsible for organizing and directing all deck operations and crew activities. You work under the captain's authority, translating orders into coordinated action while managing the practical aspects of daily fishing operations, maintenance, and safety. Your responsibilities span a wide range of tasks, from supervising crew members and coordinating complex fishing maneuvers to maintaining equipment, processing catches, and ensuring strict adherence to international maritime and fishing regulations. You must be knowledgeable about fishing gear, vessel systems, and emergency procedures, as your leadership directly impacts both operational efficiency and crew safety at sea. This is a demanding role that requires technical expertise, strong leadership abilities, and unwavering commitment to maritime safety standards and environmental regulations governing responsible fisheries.

Key Work Functions

Core areas of responsibility for a boatswain.

1

Crew Organization and Leadership

  • Organize and supervise crew on deck and in fishing holds
  • Translate captain's orders into specific crew assignments and directives
  • Monitor crew performance and ensure adherence to safety procedures
  • Provide guidance and training to crew members on deck operations
2

Fishing Operations Management

  • Execute and coordinate complex fishing maneuvers and operations
  • Prepare and deploy fishing gear according to vessel capabilities and regulations
  • Monitor fishing operations to ensure quality and efficiency
  • Apply proper fishing techniques and maneuvers to maximize catch quality
3

Catch Processing and Preservation

  • Supervise sorting, processing, and preservation of fish catches
  • Ensure hygiene standards are maintained throughout catch handling
  • Handle and store fish products according to quality specifications
  • Ensure compliance with food safety and sanitary regulations
4

Maintenance, Repair, and Equipment Management

  • Coordinate maintenance and repair operations on fishing gear and vessel equipment
  • Prepare and maintain fishing equipment in operational condition
  • Oversee assembly and disassembly of fishing gear
  • Use and maintain vessel equipment and critical systems
5

Safety and Emergency Procedures

  • Participate in organization and conduct of emergency drills and safety exercises
  • Maintain knowledge of survival techniques in case of ship abandonment
  • Extinguish fires and respond to emergency situations on vessel
  • Ensure crew compliance with maritime safety regulations
  • Assist in ship maintenance and general upkeep of vessel
6

Regulatory Compliance and Environmental Responsibility

  • Ensure compliance with international fisheries legislation and regulations
  • Apply International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships standards
  • Prevent marine pollution during fishing operations and maintenance
  • Follow Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries guidelines
  • Maintain compliance with international regulations for preventing collisions at sea

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (27)

international regulations for preventing collisions at seainternational regulations for preventing collisions at seaFundamental aspects of the international regulations to prevent collisions at sea, such as the conduct of vessels in sight of one another, navigation lights and markers, major light and accoustic sign...fishing gearfishing gearIdentification of the different gear used in capture fisheries and their functional capacity.pollution preventionpollution preventionThe processes used to prevent pollution: precautions to pollution of the environment, procedures to counter pollution and associated equipment, and possible measures to protect the environment.code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheriescode of Conduct for Responsible FisheriesFood and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the guidelines established for professional fishers.International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ShipsInternational Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ShipsThe fundamental principals and requirements laid in the International Regulation for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL): Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil, Regulations fo...fisheries legislationfisheries legislationThe study and analysis of different fisheries management approaches taking into account international treaties and industry norms in order to analyze fisheries management regulations.quality of fish productsquality of fish productsFactors affecting the quality of fish products. For instance, differences between species, impact of the fishing gears and parasite influence on the preservation of quality.participate in the organisation of emergency drillsparticipate in the organisation of emergency drillsParticipate in preparing and executing emergency drills. Take charge of on-scene response actions. Help ensure that written drill reports are logged properly. Make sure that all personnel adhere to pr...preserve fish productspreserve fish productsPlace and classify fish products for proper conservation. Maintain suitable conditions for the conservation of fishery products.extinguish firesextinguish firesChoose the adequate substances and methods to extinguish fires depending on their size, such as water and various chemical agents. Use a breathing apparatus.handle fish productshandle fish productsHandle fish with care and hygiene required to maintain quality. Adequately prepare fish products for storage.assist in ship maintenanceassist in ship maintenanceContribute to shipboard maintenance and repair using painting, lubrication and cleaning materials and equipment. Execute routine maintenance and repair procedures. Dispose safely waste materials. Appl...coordinate fish handling operationscoordinate fish handling operationsOrganise fish handling operations to avoid fish products deterioration. Check the cleanliness of the deck and fishing hole before loading and manipulation. Control that the headless, gutted, washed an...handle cargohandle cargoManage safely the mechanical elements in the loading and unloading of cargo and stores. Stowing and unstowing of products following instructions.stand watch on vesselstand watch on vesselStand watch in ships' bows, sterns, or bridge wings. Look out for obstructions in the ship's path and locate navigational aids such as buoys. Determine geographical position of the ship, using all ava...maintain safe navigation watchesmaintain safe navigation watchesObserve principles in keeping a navigation watch. Take over, accept and pass on a watch. Steer the vessel and perform routine duties undertaken during a watch. Observe emergency procedures and safety ...support vessel manoeuvressupport vessel manoeuvresParticipate in manoeuvres at port: berthing, anchoring and other mooring operations. Contribute to a safe navigational watch.train employeestrain employeesLead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the perform...swimswimMove through water by means of the limbs.survive at sea in the event of ship abandonmentsurvive at sea in the event of ship abandonmentIdentify muster signals and what emergencies they signal. Comply with established procedures. Don and use a lifejacket or an immersion suit. Safely jump into the water from a height. Swim and right an...operate ship equipmentoperate ship equipmentOperate ship equipment such as engines and generators, winches, and HVAC systems. Assume responsibility for all exterior equipment, as well as some interior. Ensure that deck equipment is operated saf...fishing vesselsfishing vesselsDenomination of the different elements and equipment of fishing vessels.prepare fishing equipmentprepare fishing equipmentDispose fishing gear and ship's deck for successful extraction activities. Coordinate the crew in this operation.operate vessel critical systemsoperate vessel critical systemsOperate of critical systems such as electronic navigation aids, steering, de-watering, safety apparatus. Carry out captain's orders.risks associated with undertaking fishing operationsrisks associated with undertaking fishing operationsGeneral risks occuring when working on fishing boats and specific risks occurring only in some fishing modalities. Prevention of threats and accidents.apply fishing maneuvresapply fishing maneuvresRun shooting and hauling gear operations for its optimal performance, complying with the regulations for a responsible fish and with the security measures.use fishing vessel equipmentuse fishing vessel equipmentDispose fishing gear and ship's deck for successful extraction activities as directed by the superior. Run shooting and hauling gear operations for its optimal performance.
Optional (8) — show
fisheries managementfisheries managementThe principles, methods and equipment used in population management applied to fisheries: the concept of catch, by-catch, fishing effort, maximum sustainable yield, different sampling methods and how ...assessment of risks and threatsassessment of risks and threatsThe security documentation and any security-related communications and information.prepare aquatic inventory reportsprepare aquatic inventory reportsPrepare inventory reports of sport fishing gear, skiff equipment, boatswain's stores at the start of the season and at the end. At the end of the season, thoroughly clean and prepare fishing equipment...communicate using the global maritime distress and safety systemcommunicate using the global maritime distress and safety systemSend an alert in case of distress, using any of the various GMDSS radio systems such that the alert has a very high probability of being received by either shore rescue authorities and/or other vessel...report to captainreport to captainPerform the responsibilities and tasks for the deckhand, and report information to the master of the vessel or the person in charge.use maritime Englishuse maritime EnglishCommunicate in English employing language used in actual situations on board ships, in ports and elsewhere in the shipping chain.evaluate schools of fishevaluate schools of fishInterpret the information provided by electronic equipment and other aid about fisheries to evaluate the characteristics of a school of fish.Global Maritime Distress and Safety SystemGlobal Maritime Distress and Safety SystemThe internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, types of equipment and communication protocols used to increase safety and make it easier to rescue distressed ships, boats and aircraft.

Related Occupations

Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.

fisheries deckhand19 shared essential skillsfisheries boatman17 shared essential skillsfisheries boatmaster17 shared essential skillsfisheries master17 shared essential skillsdeep-sea fishery worker14 shared essential skillsfisheries observer11 shared essential skillsfisheries assistant engineer8 shared essential skillsfisheries engineering technician8 shared essential skills

Frequently asked questions

What does a boatswain do?

Boatswains organise the crew on deck and at the fishing hold to execute the orders received from a superior. They coordinate the operations of maintenance, manoeuvres, assembly and repair of fishing gear and sorting, processing and preserving of the catches while observing the hygienic standards and established safety regulations.

What skills does a boatswain need?

A boatswain needs 27 essential skills, including international regulations for preventing collisions at sea, fishing gear, pollution prevention, code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.

Will AI replace boatswain jobs?

The AI disruption score for boatswain is 18/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: prepare aquatic inventory reports, use maritime English, evaluate schools of fish. Most resilient: swim, International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment.

Quick Facts

SectorTransport & Storage
ISCO GroupDrivers and mobile plant operators
Essential Skills27

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