A professional who commands fishing vessel crew engaged in catching fish and other marine life. Responsibilities include:

• Interviews, hires, and gives instructions to crew, and assigns crew to watches and quarters.
• Plots courses on navigation charts and computes positions, using standard navigation aids, such as compass, sextant, clock, radio fix, and navigation tables.
• Steers vessel and operates electronic equipment, such as radio, sonic depth finder, and radar.
• Directs fishing operations, using knowledge of fishing grounds and work load capacities of vessel and crew.
• Records daily activities in ship's log.
• May purchase supplies and equipment for boat, such as food, fuel, webbing, rope, and cable.
• May tow and maneuver fish barges at cannery wharf.
• May contact buyers and make arrangements for sale of catch.
• May buy fish for resale and be designated Buy-Boat Operator, or haul fish from other fishing vessels to cannery and be designated Captain, Cannery Tender.