Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Purse seines:
Purse seines for catching:
· tuna
· pilchards
· salmon
· bait
· other.

Checked:
· operability of net skiff
· quality of purse rope or wire
· rips, holes and worn netting
· security of hangings for net and lashings for ground gear and floatation
· lifting gear
· connecting devices for wear.

Criteria:
· looseness
· absence
· cracks
· wear limit
· distortion
· internal and external damage to wire and rope.

Components:
· net skiff
· over shoot rope and bridles, heaving lines
· purse seine
· purse rings or clips
· wire clamps
· purse rope
· hangings and lashings
· floatation devices
· ground gear
· lifting gear
· connecting devices:
· shackles
· hammerlocks
· chain
· wires
· ropes
· Clevis pin connectors
· G, C, D and sister clips.

Reconditioned:
· all components, except for the netting material
· wire rope measured and re-spliced
· chain measured and replaced
· connecting devices inspected and replaced.

Regulations and requirements:
· State and Territories' food regulations
· Occupational Health and Safety standards
· enterprise procedures
· vessel operating procedures
· hygiene requirements
· environmental protection regulations
· transport regulations and requirements
· ecologically sustainable development principles.

Machinery:
· net skiff
· purse rope winches
· capstans
· lifting gear:
· 'Triplex' net handling systems
· 'Puretic' power block
· hydraulically operated crane
· mast and boom
· block and tackle
· brail
· fish pump.

Used:
· gear is guided on to machinery operated by other personnel
· fishing gear is connected to the machinery
· machinery is operated under supervision.

Containment devices:
· brine tanks
· ice rooms
· sorting trays
· pounded deck areas
· fish boxes:
· wash boxes
· exchangeable market boxes
· freezing cartons
· coffins.

Prepared:
· cleaned
· disinfected
· freezing cartons assembled
· freezer carton liners applied
· exchangeable market boxes are accounted for
· boxes sufficient for sorting are arranged ergonomically
· brine tank hatches arranged.

Sorted:
· by species
· by legal length
· by size
· by sex:
· male or female
· sexual stage
· as by-catch
· as seafood or bait for retention.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to maintain, prepare, deploy and retrieve purse seines to the required standard include:
· factors that make purse seine gear components effective or defective
· order in which gear components are connected and disconnected
· basic operating principle of the fishing gear
· principles that contribute to:
· personal, seafood and vessel hygiene
· environmental and resource protection
· workplace safety
· vessel stability.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to maintain, prepare, deploy and retrieve purse seines to the required standard include:
· repairing or replacing all worn gear components, excluding damage to netting material
· techniques for loosening rusted components
· assembling and dismantling connecting devices
· ensuring gear is deployed untwisted
· using machinery to deploy and retrieve fishing gear
· stowing fishing gear
· sorting catch.

Literacy skills used for:
· reading sizes of connecting gear.

Numeracy skills used for:
· measuring length or diameter.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· maintain and prepare purse seining gear ready for deployment, and to retrieve the gear to the vessel
· handle and sort seafood with regard to food safety and hygiene, and food quality.
· prepare, deploy and retrieve common gear components
· lash ground gear and/or floatation
· renew damaged net hangings
· repair all aspects of purse seine except damaged netting
· sort and contain the catch.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· criteria for assessing the quality of gear components
· order in which gear components are connected and disconnected
· principles of personal and vessel hygiene.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· SFIFISH210B - Assemble and repair damaged netting.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· written or oral short answer testing
· practical exercises
· project work
· observation of practical demonstration.

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· fully operational purse seiner with catch suitable for sorting.