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Fish Shop Worker

Fish shop workers prepare and sell fish and other seafood. They may also advise customers on ways to cook it.

Tasks & duties

Fish shop workers may do some or all of the following:

clean and gut fish, and cut it into fillets or steaks
ensure the fish or seafood is good quality
prepare displays for the front counter and ensure there is always enough produce on display
package frozen products and display them in freezers
weigh and wrap purchases for customers
advise customers on ways to prepare or cook fish or seafood
collect payment and give change
clean display cabinets and keep the store or area clean
buy and place orders for fresh and frozen seafood
sell seafood at wholesale prices to restaurant and hotel chefs
deliver produce to wholesale customers.

Skills & knowledge

Fish shop workers need to have:

knowledge of hygiene regulations and how to judge whether fish is fresh
skill preparing fish, including cleaning, gutting and filleting techniques for different fish
knowledge of fish and seafood suppliers, the quality of supplies and the market price of seafood
knowledge of what most fish tastes like, different ways of cooking fish, and how it responds to different methods of cooking
good customer service skills, including communication and listening skills
good organisational abilities
basic maths skills.

Entry Requirements

There are no specific entry requirements to become a fish shop worker, as skills are gained on the job.

Secondary Education

There are no specific secondary education requirements, but useful subjects include maths, English and food technology.

Tertiary Education

Food safety courses are useful, and it is possible to complete the National Certificate in Seafood Retailing and the seafood industry's Quality Fish Handling Certificate. Having a National Certificate in Retail is also helpful, but not essential.

Seafood Industry Training Organisation (SITO) website – information on certificates

Retail Institute website – information on National Certificate in Retail

Training on the job

Some employers send their employees on seafood retail courses and Ministry of Fisheries hygiene courses. Fish shop workers may also attend courses in first aid and customer service.