Fisheries officer salary in Malaysia
What the job is: Farming, forestry and fisheries advisers study and provide assistance and advice on farm, forestry and fisheries management, including cultivation, fertilization, harvesting, soil erosion and composition, disease prevention, nutrition, crop rotation and marketing. ILO ISCO-08, 2132 Farming, Forestry and Fisheries Advisers
- Fisheries officer (Pegawai Perikanan, G9): RM2,470 basic a month (honours degree in science in a related field), up to RM2,800 for some degrees.
- With fixed allowances in Kuala Lumpur: RM3,370 a month at G9.
- Assistant fisheries officer (G5): RM1,650 basic, RM2,460 with allowances.
- Pay scale: grade 9 runs from RM2,250 to RM11,110, rising RM225 a year.
What a new fisheries officer earns
A fisheries officer at G9 starts on RM2,470 basic, plus RM900 in fixed allowances in Kuala Lumpur: RM3,370 a month. Some degrees start higher.
Grade G9, from the SPA service scheme and the JPA allowance circular. The starting point depends on the qualification.
| Qualification or pay item | Grade G9 | RM a month |
|---|---|---|
| Honours degree in science in a related field | Starting basic | 2,470 |
| Bachelor of Science (Fisheries) | Starting basic | 2,580 |
| Degree in marine, civil or electrical engineering | Starting basic | 2,690 |
| Degree in marine architecture | Starting basic | 2,800 |
| Fixed allowances, Kawasan A | Housing (ITP) RM300, public service (ITKA) RM300, cost of living (BISH) RM300 | 900 |
| Total fixed pay at the start, honours degree in science in a related field | Basic plus fixed allowances, Kawasan A | 3,370 |
Sources: SPA scheme page for grade G9; JPA Pekeliling Perkhidmatan 1/2024, Lampiran E. BISH is lower outside Kawasan A. Totals computed by Foundific.
- A year at the start: RM3,370 × 12 = RM40,440.
- Allowances counted here are the fixed ones in the JPA circular. Any allowance tied to a particular post is not included.
- JPA Lampiran E lists the Pegawai Perikanan (Kejuruteraan) scheme for the critical-service allowance (BIPK), RM165 for new appointees at grade 9, paid while doing the scheme's core duties. It is not included above.
How to become a fisheries officer
Fisheries officers enter at G5 and G9, depending on the qualification.
| Entry level | Qualification | Starting basic, RM | With allowances, RM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant fisheries officer (Penolong Pegawai Perikanan, G5) | Fisheries certificate | 1,650 | 2,460 |
| Assistant fisheries officer (Penolong Pegawai Perikanan, G5) | Diploma in fisheries, biotechnology, agrotechnology, biology or a related field | 1,974 | 2,784 |
| Fisheries officer (Pegawai Perikanan, G9) | Honours degree in science in a related field | 2,470 | 3,370 |
| Fisheries officer (Pegawai Perikanan, G9) | Bachelor of Science (Fisheries) | 2,580 | 3,480 |
| Fisheries officer (Pegawai Perikanan, G9) | Degree in marine, civil or electrical engineering | 2,690 | 3,590 |
| Fisheries officer (Pegawai Perikanan, G9) | Degree in marine architecture | 2,800 | 3,700 |
Source: SPA scheme pages. Allowances from the JPA circular, Kawasan A: G5 RM810, G9 RM900. Totals computed by Foundific.
- Bahasa Melayu: every route needs a credit in Bahasa Melayu at SPM or SVM.
How pay grows on the government scale
Grade 9 pay rises RM225 a year, from RM2,250 up to RM11,110. Promotion to a higher grade moves an officer onto a higher range.
Minimum and maximum monthly basic salary for each SSPA grade, 2026.
| Grade | Who | Minimum | Maximum | Yearly increment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Assistant fisheries officer, entry with a certificate or diploma | 1,650 | 6,620 | 145 |
| 9 | Fisheries officer, entry with a degree | 2,250 | 11,110 | 225 |
| 10 | Promotion grade | 3,840 | 12,150 | 250 |
| 12 | Promotion grade | 5,530 | 13,540 | 270 |
| 14 | Promotion grade | 6,560 | 15,360 | 320 |
Source: Ministry of Finance, Budget 2026 establishment list, Lampiran A: SSPA salary codes and minimum-maximum salaries (page A-1). Basic salary only.
- The grade 9 scale allows yearly increments of RM225.
Pay after 5, 10 and 20 years
Starting at RM2,470 at grade 9, with the RM225 yearly increment and no promotion. The grade maximum, RM11,110, is reached after about 38 years.
| Years in grade | Basic, RM a month | With fixed allowances, RM a month | Fixed pay, RM a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| At the start | 2,470 | 3,370 | 40,440 |
| After 5 years | 3,595 | 4,495 | 53,940 |
| After 10 years | 4,720 | 5,620 | 67,440 |
| After 20 years | 6,970 | 7,870 | 94,440 |
Foundific calculation from the Budget 2026 SSPA scale, with fixed allowances at the Kawasan A rate, which do not rise with increments. Promotion, special payments and allowance changes are not included.
Compared with Malaysian pay overall
A new fisheries officer's fixed pay, RM3,370, is above the RM2,940 median for Malaysian citizens. The agriculture industry median, RM1,698, covers workers of all grades and years.
| Figure | Source | RM a month |
|---|---|---|
| New fisheries officer, G9, basic plus fixed allowances, Kuala Lumpur | SPA and JPA, 2026 | 3,370 |
| Median salary, agriculture industry | DOSM, 2024 | 1,698 |
| Median salary, all Malaysian citizens | DOSM, 2025 | 2,940 |
| Median salary, employed degree holders of all ages | DOSM, 2024 | 5,724 |
- Industry median covers all citizen employees in the industry.
- DOSM figures cover all paid employees and all ages. The government figure is one fixed pay point. Use them to show scale only.
- Compare your own pay with this scale, the DOSM figures and court awards in the Malaysia salary comparison.
Fisheries officers outside government
The data used here does not cover fisheries officer pay outside government.
- DOSM publishes salaries by state, industry, occupation group and skill level, but not by job title.
- Private surveys and job ads use different measures and samples, so their figures are not mixed into the tables here.
Data sources and coverage
Government pay for fisheries officers is exact. The official data used here does not cover private-sector pay for the job.
| Source | What it gives | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| SPA service schemes G5, G9 | Starting basic pay by qualification | Strong: official and current |
| Budget 2026, SSPA pay scale | Minimum, maximum and yearly increment for every grade | Strong: official and current |
| JPA SSPA circular, Lampiran E | Fixed allowances by grade and area | Strong: official |
| DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey 2024 and 2025 | Industry and national medians | Weak for one job title |
- A payslip shows basic plus allowances plus any shift, on-call or overtime pay, so it can be higher than the fixed figures here.
Is fisheries officer work affected by AI?
The International Labour Organization puts farming, forestry and fisheries advisers in its “Not exposed” group for exposure to generative AI. Its scores cover the job worldwide, so they apply in Malaysia too.
Based on the International Labour Organization's 2025 index, which scores every core task of a job from 0 (AI cannot help) to 1 (AI could do nearly all of it).
AI can do very little of this job. Most tasks are hands-on or face to face.
- Most exposed taskPreparing scientific reports and conducting advisory…
- Least exposed taskStudying fish migration, growth, feeding and spawning
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 1 of its 12 main tasks.
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2132 Farming, forestry and fisheries advisers. Average task score 0.28, higher than 54% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
| Factor | Fisheries officer |
|---|---|
| 1Exposure level | Not exposed |
| 2Average task score | 0.28 higher than 54% of jobs |
| 3Tasks AI could do much of | 1 of 12 |
| 4Hands-on or people tasks | 5 of 12 |
| 5How even the exposure is | Mixed (0.10) |
| 6Most exposed task | Preparing scientific reports and conducting advisory… 0.54 |
| 7Least exposed task | Studying fish migration, growth, feeding and spawning and… 0.14 |
- 0.54Preparing scientific reports and conducting advisory information sessions and…
- 0.36Developing procedures and techniques for solving agricultural problems and…
- 0.34Advising on techniques for improving the production of crops, livestock and…
- 0.14Studying fish migration, growth, feeding and spawning and devising methods of…
- 0.17Studying the propagation and culture of forest trees, methods for improving…
- 0.20Collecting and analysing data and samples related to produce, feed, soil…
What each factor means · How this job compares with the other salary guides
- Exposure measures how much of the work AI could do or speed up. It does not measure job cuts.
What the pay figures include
Every figure is monthly basic pay or fixed allowances, before deductions.
| Measure | Includes | Excludes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic salary | Gaji pokok on the SSPA scale | Allowances, shift, on-call and overtime pay, special payments |
| Fixed allowances | ITP, BISH, ITKA or ITK, and BIPK as advertised for the post | Shift, on-call and overtime pay |
| DOSM salary | Monthly salaries and wages of paid employees | Self-employed and unpaid family workers |
Questions
What is the fisheries officer salary in Malaysia?
A new government fisheries officer starts on RM2,470 basic a month (G9, honours degree in science in a related field). With fixed allowances in Kuala Lumpur the total is RM3,370 a month, in 2026.
What is the fisheries officer salary per year in Malaysia?
RM3,370 a month is RM40,440 a year in fixed pay, before any shift, on-call or overtime pay and before the special payments the government announces each year.
How does a government fisheries officer's pay grow with years in service?
On the yearly increment alone, basic pay at grade 9 rises RM225 a year: from RM2,470 to about RM3,595 after 5 years and RM4,720 after 10, before any promotion. Foundific calculation from the Budget 2026 scale.
What is the highest fisheries officer salary in government?
Grade 9 runs from RM2,250 to RM11,110 in basic pay. Promotion can lead to grade 14, with a maximum basic of RM15,360 a month (Budget 2026).
How much does a fisheries officer earn in a private company?
The data used here does not cover fisheries officer pay outside government.
What is the difference between G5 and G9 for fisheries officers?
G5 (assistant fisheries officer) is the entry below degree level. It starts at RM1,650 basic with a fisheries certificate and RM1,974 with a diploma. G9 (fisheries officer) is the degree entry and starts at RM2,470, or up to RM2,800 for some degrees. The G9 scale runs to RM11,110, against RM6,620 at G5.
Where do these figures come from?
Starting pay is from the SPA service scheme pages, the pay scale from the Budget 2026 establishment list, and allowances from the JPA SSPA circular. Private-sector context is from DOSM and Industrial Court awards.
Related guides
Sources
SPA service schemes, Ministry of Finance Budget 2026, JPA SSPA circular, DOSM
- Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam, Syarat Permohonan: Penolong Pegawai Perikanan Gred G5.
- Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam, Syarat Permohonan: Pegawai Perikanan Gred G9.
- Ministry of Finance, Budget 2026 establishment list, Lampiran A. SSPA minimum-maximum salaries, page A-1.
- JPA, Pekeliling Perkhidmatan Bil. 1/2024 (SSPA), Lampiran E: ITP, ITKA and BISH by grade and area.
- DOSM, Salaries & Wages Survey Report 2025 and the 2024 report.