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.

Design may include:
Compliance with the standard specification and legislation and regulations of the relevant State or Territory construction and power authorities.

Systems:
· manual operation and monitoring
· fully automated with computer control and monitoring
· standards of uniformity and efficiency may vary from system to system.

Types of culture structure:
· tanks, raceways and recirculating systems
· dams, ponds and enclosures
· enclosures and nets-holding, predator protection, handling and harvesting (dip, brails, traps, seines)
· shellfish ongrowing (some crustaceans, plants) -long lines, rafts, racks, fences-socks, trays, baskets, tags, barrels, cages, panels, self-feeding cages
· floating structures-cages or pontoons or pens, long lines, rafts, moorings
· harvest stock holding structures-tanks, bins, cages
· aquaria.

Production inputs and culture activities:
· water supply and disposal
· food and nutriments
· stocking
· handling
· harvesting
· transport
· post-harvest
· pest, predator and disease control.

Construction materials:
· fibreglass
· glass
· PVC, polyethylene and other plastics
· stainless steel and treated metals
· wood
· earth
· concrete
· brick
· nylon.

Documentation may vary according to:
· budget
· environmental constraints
· owner preferences
· quoting procedures
· product availability.

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 perform work to the required standard include:
· latest culture technology
· biological requirements of culture species
· contract development and management
· design processes
· government regulations
· automatic control and monitoring systems
· budgeting, waste management and environmental issues.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· determining design requirements
· defining culture systems
· designing a culture structure and integrating that into a culture system
· determining capital expense budget
· applying analytical processes to identify labour and cost savings, and improved efficiencies.

Literacy skills used for:
· interpretation of technical literature and design specification
· maintaining records
· writing reports
· reading equipment operator's manuals.

Numeracy skills used for:
· applying formulae to determine flows, pump efficiency, dissolved oxygen and water requirements, and volume and surface area.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· design basic systems and understand functions of components and to assess impact of designed system on stock, labour, occupational health and safety, cost reduction and efficiency.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· stock, biological and production cycles
· aquaculture engineering and aquatic organism physiology.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· No recommendations.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. It should involve planning and designing one or more culture structures typically used in the region.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· project work based on a workplace scenario or case study
· construct a model of an aquaculture facility.

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· farm or hatchery components
· workplace scenario or case study.