A professional who supervises and coordinates activities of fishing vessel crew engaged in deploying, retrieving, and repairing otter trawl net to catch fish, and operates winches to launch, tow, haul, hoist, and dump net. Respnsibilities include:

• Confers with captain, fishing vessel or mate, fishing vessel to ascertain specified fishing depth, terrain of ocean floor, and location of fish concentrations, and selects required otter trawl net and other fishing gear accordingly.
• Directs crew in attachment of floats, weights, otter boards (net guides), and other gear to trawl net preparatory to net deployment.
• Directs lowering of net over side of vessel, and moves winch controls to release otter boards and tow cables into sea.
• Observes action of otter boards to ensure that net is tangle free and in desired position, and moves winch controls to maintain even alignment and designated depth of net behind vessel, according to markings on tow cables.
• Monitors tension on tow cables during tow and moves winch controls as necessary to free net when snagged on obstructions, such as rough bottom, rock pinnacles, or sunken ships.
• Moves winch controls to haul filled trawl net from sea bottom to ship's stern, and directs crew to specified stations for retrieval of net and dumping of fish onto deck.
• Trains and directs crew in maintenance of fishing gear, such as reinforcing or replacing frayed or missing sections of trawl net and splicing frayed or weakened tow cables.