Hatchery and Nursery Manager

Career Guide

A Hatchery and Nursery Manager runs day to day operations where young aquatic animals are bred, hatched, and raised through early life stages. The role focuses on survival rates, animal health, water quality, staff leadership, and reliable output that meets farm or customer demand.

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Key Responsibilities

Plan and oversee spawning, hatching, and early rearing schedules
Set daily production targets and track survival, growth, and quality metrics
Manage water quality monitoring and corrective actions
Lead feeding plans and live feed production where required
Implement animal health checks and biosecurity routines
Coordinate vaccination and treatment programs with veterinary support
Maintain broodstock care, selection, and genetic records
Supervise technicians and shift teams, including training and performance feedback
Manage inventory for feed, chemicals, equipment, and consumables
Oversee maintenance of tanks, pumps, filters, aeration, and backup systems
Ensure compliance with food safety, animal welfare, and environmental rules
Investigate mortality events and drive root cause fixes
Report production results to farm leadership and support customer audits
Manage budgets, purchasing, and supplier relationships
Support continuous improvement projects to reduce losses and improve consistency

Top Skills for Success

People Leadership

Shift Scheduling

Problem Solving

Process Improvement

Safety Management

Budget Management

Vendor Management

Recordkeeping

Water Quality Management

Biosecurity Management

Hatchery Operations

Nursery Operations

Live Feed Culture

Larval Rearing

Broodstock Management

Animal Health Monitoring

Disease Prevention

Mortality Investigation

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems Knowledge

Aquaculture Regulations

Environmental Compliance

Quality Assurance

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Hatchery and Nursery Manager

Production Manager

Aquaculture Site Manager

Farm Manager

Operations Manager

Transition Opportunities

Aquaculture Health Manager

Quality Manager

Broodstock Program Manager

Technical Services Manager

Hatchery Consultant

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Data AnalysisStandard Operating ProceduresPreventive Maintenance PlanningBiosecurity AuditingCost ControlStakeholder Reporting

Development SuggestionsBuild simple dashboards for survival, growth, and feed use. Document key routines as clear standard operating procedures. Partner with maintenance teams to create checklists and spares plans. Run regular biosecurity walk throughs with corrective action tracking. Practice budget ownership by linking input costs to output volumes. Improve reporting with short weekly updates that highlight risks, actions, and results.

Market Intelligence Report

Hatchery and Nursery Manager is part of the Fishing & Aquaculture category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 45,000 to 65,000

Mid LevelUSD 65,000 to 90,000

Senior LevelUSD 90,000 to 130,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand driven by global aquaculture growth, tighter biosecurity requirements, and the need for consistent juvenile supply. Hiring is strongest in coastal production hubs and regions expanding shrimp and salmon farming.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

MowiCooke AquacultureBakkafrostCermaqAquaChileThai UnionCharoen Pokphand FoodsSeajoy GroupDevi Sea FoodsTrident Seafoods

Industry Sectors

Salmon AquacultureShrimp AquacultureTilapia AquacultureMarine Fish HatcheriesFreshwater Fish HatcheriesShellfish HatcheriesRecirculating Aquaculture FacilitiesAquaculture Genetics CompaniesContract HatcheriesGovernment Hatchery Programs

Recommended Next Steps

Create a 30 day plan to baseline survival, growth, and loss drivers by life stage

Introduce a daily water quality and health review meeting with clear action owners

Standardize hatchery routines with written standard operating procedures and training sign offs

Implement a biosecurity checklist for visitors, equipment, and water intake points

Set preventive maintenance schedules for critical pumps, aeration, filters, and backup power

Track key metrics weekly, including survival rate, growth rate, feed use, and grade out

Request cross training in animal health, water systems, and quality audits

Pursue targeted credentials in aquaculture health, water quality, and food safety

Build a supplier scorecard for feed, chemicals, and consumables to reduce variability

Prepare a portfolio of improvements that shows measurable gains in survival and consistency