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
business or workplace operations, policies and practices
correct marketing names and labelling
environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
food safety/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody, and Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders
health and welfare of aquatic animals
maritime operations, 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.
Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:
Australian Shellfish Sanitation program
equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance
exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders
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)
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
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.
PPE may include:
buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD)
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 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).
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).
Routine water quality and environmental parameters may include:
alkalinity
ammonia
dissolved oxygen
hardness
major organisms in surrounding environment
nitrate
nitrite
pH
salinity and conductivity
temperature
tides, water flow and wave action
turbidity (secchi disc and transparency)
weather, rain and wind.
Non-routine water quality parameters may include:
bacterial (e.g. E. coli and faecal coliforms)
biological oxygen demand (BOD)
carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen sulphide gas
changes in native land-based and/or aquatic life around the farm, including macro-invertebrates and macrophytes
chlorophyll and algal species identification and counts
clay content of soil, types of sediments
contaminants/chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals
density and types of fouling organisms
density and types of natural feeds
dissolved or suspended solids or wastes
ozone
phosphorus (total and orthophosphate)
presence of severe weather conditions (e.g. king tides, extreme temperatures and fluctuations)
redox potential
soil or sediment pH
toxic micro-algae.
Non-routine environmental parameters may include:
changes in native land-based and/or aquatic life around the farm, including macro-invertebrates and macrophytes
predators, pests, pathogens, fouling organisms and natural foods
presence of severe weather conditions (e.g. king tide)
on-farm and external chemicals
sediment and debris levels
toxic micro-algae
wastes and contaminants.
Equipment may include:
advanced chemical tests
electronic machines and specialised machinery, such as spectrophotometer and chlorinometer
flow injection auto analysers
micropipettes
probes, grabs, nets, dredges, traps, cages, plankton nets and water sample bottles
refractometer
soil analysis kits
still and video cameras, remote controlled cameras or vehicles.
Repairs and calibrations may include:
adjustment of probes or other settings for calibration
replacement of electronic parts, covers and probes.
Samples may include:
culture or holding equipment
pests, predators or fouling organisms
sediments or soils
stock
vegetation (land and aquatic)
water
weather station/meteorological data.
External analysis may include:
contaminants, such as heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals
feeds
pathology
proximate analysis of culture or other organisms
trace elements and mineral content of waters/soils.

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:
correctly use advanced water quality tests and monitoring equipment in carrying out the aquaculture operation's quality and environmental monitoring program and to supervise staff carrying out basic water quality testing and monitoring.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
advanced water quality tests and water sampling
operation, maintenance and calibration of monitoring equipment
preservation of samples
submission of samples for external analyses.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. It should reflect the range of monitoring equipment and tests typically used on aquaculture farms or holding/display facilities in the local region and it should involve supervision of staff carrying out basic water quality tests and monitoring.

Resources may include:
cameras
culture or holding structure and medium
monitoring equipment
on-site scenario or case study
research reference material
staff to supervise
water quality tests.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
project work related to on-site scenario or based on a case study
research assignment
role play
written or oral short-answer testing.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.