Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Cultured or held stock may include:
adults, broodstock (ready to breed), seedstock or stockers, eggs and sperm, fertilised eggs, larvae, post-larvae, seed, spat, hatchlings, yearlings, juveniles, fry, fingerlings, yearlings, smolt, sporophytes, seedlings and tissue cultures
finfish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic reptiles, amphibians, polychaete and oligochaete worms, plankton, micro-algae, seaweed, aquatic plants, live rock, sponges and other aquatic invertebrates
for human consumption (seafood), stockers for other farms, stockers for conservation or recreational fishing, display or companion animals (ornamentals), and other products, including pearls, skins, shells, eggs, chemicals and pigments
wild caught, hatchery or nursery reared.
Relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements may include:
biosecurity, translocation and quarantine
environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
health and welfare of aquatic animals
safety at sea and pollution control
OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.
OHS guidelines may include:
appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers
codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction or industry sector
enterprise-specific OHS procedures, policies or standards
hazard and risk assessment of workplace, maintenance activities and control measures
induction or training of staff, contractors and visitors in relevant OHS procedures and/or requirements to allow them to carry out their duties in a safe manner
OHS training register
safe lifting, carrying and handling techniques, including manual handling, and the handling and storage of hazardous substances
safe systems and procedures for outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, fall protection, confined space entry and the protection of people in the workplace
systems and procedures for the safe maintenance of property, machinery and equipment, including hydraulics and exposed moving parts
the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE.
ESD principles may include:
applying animal welfare ethics and procedures
control of effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution
control of weeds, pests, predators and diseases, and stock health maintenance
improving energy efficiency
increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources
minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions
preventing live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
reducing energy use
reducing use of non-renewable resources
undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
undertaking facility quarantine, biosecurity and translocation of livestock and genetic material
using and recycling water, and maintaining water quality.
PPE may include:
buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD)
hard hat or protective head covering
non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions
safety harness
sun protection (e.g. sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses)
uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons)
waterproof clothing (e.g. wet weather gear and waders).
Monitoring schedule may include:
culture or holding structures and monitoring site
environmental and weather conditions
equipment required
general observations, such as state or activity of culture or holding equipment, and behaviour and health of stock
basic routine water quality factors
time of day, frequency and monitoring period.
Stock behaviour may include:
aggressive or cannibalistic
colour changes
feeding
piping, darting, flashing or whirling movement
predator avoidance
reproduction or courtship
schooling or individuals
swimming (finfish), crawling (crustaceans or gastropods) or gaping (bivalves).
General health may include:
general appearance (e.g. colour, appendages, external parasites, skin or shell damage)
growth rates.
Routine water quality factors may include:
alkalinity
ammonia, total ammonia and nitrogen
dissolved oxygen
hardness and carbonate hardness
major organisms in surrounding environment
nitrate
nitrite
pH
salinity
temperature
tides, water flow and wave action
turbidity (e.g. secchi disc and transparency)
weather, rain and wind.
Environmental parameters may include:
activity of pests and predators
climatic conditions (e.g. rainfall, amount of cloud cover, and wind direction and speed)
contaminants
light:
conductivity
dissolved oxygen
pH
salinity
temperature
natural foods
tidal flow direction and speed
wave size and direction.
Basic equipment may include:
chemical test kits
electronic machines or meters to measure:
conductivity
dissolved oxygen
pH
salinity
temperature
litmus paper and pH test kit
measuring devices:
ruler
scales
volumetric
refractometer, density stick and hydrometer
sample jars or buckets
sampling nets
secchi disc
thermometer
water collector.
Calibrated may include:
adjustment of pH references or other settings for calibration and preparations of calibration solution for calibration of NO2 meter.
Basic repairs may include:
replacement of cables
replacement of probes.
Data or record sheets or books may include:
basic parameters to be measured
date and time
general observations
monitoring schedule
person's name and signature.
Monitoring site may include:
inlet or effluent water
on- or off-farm (samples taken for measurement in laboratory)
upstream/downstream of culture structure
within or external to culture structure.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
monitor stock behaviour and general health, basic water quality factors and environmental parameters for indications that they are outside of the acceptable range as determined by the enterprise.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
sampling and monitoring procedures relevant to the enterprise
stock behaviour and general health and how it is affected by changes in water quality
water quality factors and environmental parameters relevant to the aquaculture enterprise.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace while monitoring is undertaken, or in a simulated work environment. It is recommended that assessment is conducted over a series of monitoring sessions.

Resources may include:
culture or holding structures with/in water containing stock exhibiting a range of quality parameters
data sheets for recording information
environmental parameter range for stock species and culture or holding structures
monitoring and sampling equipment for culture or holding stock and water
monitoring schedules
range for water quality factors
test kits.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
demonstration
practical exercises
project work
written or oral short-answer testing.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.