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.

Trawl:
· prawn trawls:
· banana prawn-type gear
· tiger prawn-type gear
· demersal fish trawls:
· otter board trawls
· Danish seines
· beam trawls.

Checked:
· symmetry of:
· warps
· sweeps
· bridles
· head ropes
· foot ropes
· ground gear
· rips, holes and worn netting
· security of hangings for net and lashings for ground gear and floatation
· by-catch reduction devices and lifting gear
· connecting devices for wear.

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

Components:
· warps
· otter boards
· sweeps and bridles
· netting material
· hangings
· floatation devices
· ground gear
· by-catch reduction devices
· lifting gear
· connecting devices:
· shackles
· hammerlocks
· chain
· wires
· ropes
· Clevis pin connectors
· G, C, D and sister clips
· cod end closures:
· chain knot (prawn nets)
· zipper
· hangman's knot
· Dutch clip.

Reconditioned:
· all components except for the netting material, which is covered by a separate unit of competence
· 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
· environmental protection regulations
· transport regulations and requirements.

Machinery:
· warp winches
· net drums
· capstans
· net sounder winches
· lifting gear:
· hydraulically operated crane
· mast and boom
· block and tackle
· lazy line (Gilson) winches.

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:
· bulk
· net bags
· ice rooms
· sorting trays
· pounded deck areas
· fish or prawn boxes:
· wash boxes
· exchangeable market boxes
· freezing cartons.

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, net bags and hanging frame deployed.

Sorted:
· by species
· by legal length
· by size
· by sex:
· male or female
· sexual stage
· as by-catch
· as seafood 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 trawls to the required standard include:
· factors that make trawl components effective or defective
· order in which trawl 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 trawls to the required standard include:
· repairing or replacing all worn trawl 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 demersal fish or prawn trawling 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 trawl gear components
· lash ground gear and/or floatation
· renew damaged net hangings
· repair all aspects of trawl gear, except damaged netting
· sort and contain the catch.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· criteria for assessing the quality of gear components
· order in which trawl 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 fish or prawn trawler with catch suitable for sorting.