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:
biodiversity and genetically modified organisms
biosecurity, translocation and quarantine
Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) and other import requirements
business or workplace operations, policies and practices
ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
fisheries or aquaculture regulations, permits and licences
health and welfare of aquatic animals
Indigenous land rights and cultural activities, including fishing by traditional methods
OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.
OHS standards 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.
Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:
Australian Shellfish Sanitation program
equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance
exporting requirements, including Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders
handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), food safety program, and other risk minimisation and quality assurance systems
location, construction and servicing of seafood premises
people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements
Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)
processing, further processing and preparation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
product labelling, tracing and recall
receipt, storage and transportation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code and state and territory food regulations
temperature and contamination control along chain of custody.
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 interactions with native and protected flora and fauna, marine or land parks or areas
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)
gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering
hard hat or protective head covering
hearing protection (e.g. ear plugs and ear muffs)
non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions
respirator or face mask
safety harness
sun protection (e.g. sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses)
uniforms or overalls
waterproof clothing (e.g. wet weather gear and waders).
Diseases may include:
causes of impairment of health or a condition resulting in abnormal functioning of the cultured or held stock
environmental causes, such as poor water quality or contaminants (chemicals)
nutritional (e.g. feed contaminants, quality and quantity)
viruses, protozoans, bacteria, fungi, worms, parasites and toxins of biological origin (e.g. toxic algae).
Diagnosed may include:
dissection of stock
microscope, binocular or stage
visual inspection.
Preventionand controlmethods may include:
appropriate nutritional program, additional vitamins
biological control (e.g. cleaner fish)
chemical barriers (e.g.foot baths)
deprivation or purging
disinfection of equipment
filtration, ozonation or water treatment
freshwater, saltwater or chemical baths
medication in food
probiotics and other chemicals (e.g. pesticides, herbicides and algaecides)
prophylactic treatments of probiotics
reducing stress (e.g. providing cover, hides, shelters and habitat)
replacing susceptible species/variety with resistant species/variety
vaccination or inoculation:
medicated feeds
syringes, drippers and other application equipment
water quality optimisation.

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:
organise staff assisting with disease control
select control methods in line with enterprise guidelines
to protect or prevent stock being harmed by diseases
respond to outbreaks of diseases in such a way as to minimise loss or harm to stock.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
characteristics, signs and symptoms of disease outbreaks of cultured or held stock
life cycles and physiology of disease organisms
types of environmental diseases
methods for prevention and control of outbreaks of diseases.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment and should reflect the range of controls and preventative measures used on diseases typically threatening cultured or held stock in the local area.

Resources may include:
culture or holding structures and stock
equipment for controlling diseases
medications, chemicals or products used in the treatment of diseases
microscopes and dissecting instruments
research reference material
staff to supervise.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
case study analysis
project (work or scenario based)
research assignment
written or oral short-answer testing.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.