The industry is growing strongly in the region because new overseas markets are opening up, the Asian market is starting to recover, and seafood products fetch excellent prices. There are now more new fleets with a high proportion of New Zealand ownership in them, and there is strong market demand for shellfish products. Jobs are mainly in boat-based fishing, which includes fishers and fish process workers. Other work is in aquaculture, engineering, marketing and administration. Higher skill levels and qualifications are in demand across the industry, and technological advances are replacing some aspects of processing work.
Marine fishing is seasonal.
While some jobs are lost in the off-season, increasingly, the industry employs a stable workforce which is growing. More women are finding work in marine fishing as processors. However, men are still predominant in most of the occupations. Some vessels are not adapted to accommodating female staff. The immediate future of the industry is dependent on the international exchange rate, and maintaining existing and developing new export markets.