Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
23/07/2026 10:27 AM AWST
23/07/2026 10:27 AM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Oversee production and maintain algal or live-feed cultures
Oversee production and maintain algal or live-feed cultures
Unit of competency
National Code
SFIAQUA311B
SFIAQUA311B
State Code
D9141
D9141
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
27/02/2012
Field of Education
050701 - Aquaculture
Original Release Date
27/02/2012
Nominal Hours
30
Description
This unit of competency involves producing algal or live-feed cultures to be fed to cultured or held stock. The unit includes planning for production, initiating and growing cultures and organising their harvest. In some facilities only one of the culture types is produced, in others both may be produced. Skills to coordinate staff are covered by RTE3704A Coordinate worksite activities.No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Plan for production
- 1.1. Production schedule is interpreted and confirmed with senior personnel.
- 1.2. Labour and resource requirements for production are confirmed.
- 1.3. Risk factors that could affect the quality of algal or live-feed cultures during production are identified and plans made to minimise risk.
- 1.4. Efficient culture systems are assembled and commissioned for use.
- 1.5. Operational guidelines to achieve desired production objectives are planned and communicated effectively to staff.
2. Prepare for initiation and maintenance of algal or live-feed cultures
- 2.1. Production vessels or structures and other equipment are checked for serviceability.
- 2.2. Culture water is treated to meet the physio-chemical requirements of the cultured organism.
- 2.3. Inoculation cultures to meet the required stocking density are readied for use.
- 2.4. Nutriment formulae or media are prepared.
3. Monitor and maintain culture production
- 3.1. Physio-chemical requirements of the culture organism are measured and maintained for the culture period.
- 3.2. Sterile conditions and equipment are maintained in parent and stock cultures.
- 3.3. Culture health is checked regularly by sampling the culture water and appropriate action taken to achieve the production schedule.
4. Harvest culture
- 4.1. Harvesting equipment is collected and checked for serviceability.
- 4.2. Sub-standard equipment is repaired or replaced.
- 4.3. Required quantity of culture is collected in harvest equipment.
- 4.4. Production vessel is refilled with preconditioned water and nutriments are added to return the culture to pre-harvest conditions.
- 4.5. Unused cultures and wastes are treated and disposed of.
5. Complete culture production activities
- 5.1. Clean up of work area, including repairs and storage of equipment, is supervised and condition report prepared.
- 5.2. Relevant culture production data, observations or information are recorded legibly and accurately, and any out of range or unusual records checked.
- 5.3. Compliance and other required reports are prepared and conveyed to senior personnel advising of the effectiveness of culture production, and recommendations made for improvements.
- 5.4. Options for improving efficiency through mechanisation or automation of process or activity, and use of specialised contract staff are researched and presented to senior personnel as potential improvements.
- 5.5. Staff are given feedback on their work performance.
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 or 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
environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.
OHS guidelines may include:
appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers
clean, uncluttered, hygienic workplace
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:
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 energy use
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
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:
hard hat or protective head covering
non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons).
Production schedule may include:
production vessel or structure to use
production method:
batch
continuous
other
semi-continuous
quality, including bacteria-free, growth rate, size and age
quantities (e.g. cells/ml, organisms/ml)
types of cultures, including species.
Risk factors may include:
contamination
damage to equipment
equipment breakdown
insufficient cultures
loss of cultures
power loss.
Production vessels or structures may include:
concrete or earthen ponds
fibreglass or plastic tanks or tubes
glassware
plastic bags
plastic-lined pools.
Other equipment may include:
aeration, carbon dioxide addition
lights
production vessel holder
temperature-controlled room.
Treated water may include:
aeration
chemical (e.g. change pH, hardness and salinity)
heating or cooling
micro-filtration
ozone
pre-conditioning (left to stand with aeration).
Inoculation cultures may include:
brine shrimp (Artemia and Parartemia)
copepods
Daphnia
mosquitoes, beetles or other insects
nematodes
polychaetes or other annelids (worms)
rotifers
various species of micro-algae
zooplankton.
Nutriment formulae or media may include:
batch or continuous dosing
feeds, including micro-algae, pellets, powders and emulsions
nutrients, fertilisers or other enrichment chemicals or formulae.
Physio-chemical requirements of the culture organism may include:
carbon dioxide
dissolved oxygen
hardness
light
mechanical or biological filtration
nutriment formulae or media
pH
salinity
temperature
water flow.
Culture health may include:
contaminants, including ciliates, males in rotifer cultures and unwanted species in micro-algal cultures
density of organisms (numbers per litre or millilitre)
feeding activity
growth and appearance
swimming activity.
Harvesting equipment may include:
buckets
nets, sieves or screens (mesh size generally below 100µm)
pumps
scoops
siphons.
Wastes may include:
dead or dying organisms
other contaminants, including soil and organic debris
uneaten nutriments.
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 or 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
environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.
OHS guidelines may include:
appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers
clean, uncluttered, hygienic workplace
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:
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 energy use
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
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:
hard hat or protective head covering
non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons).
Production schedule may include:
production vessel or structure to use
production method:
batch
continuous
other
semi-continuous
quality, including bacteria-free, growth rate, size and age
quantities (e.g. cells/ml, organisms/ml)
types of cultures, including species.
Risk factors may include:
contamination
damage to equipment
equipment breakdown
insufficient cultures
loss of cultures
power loss.
Production vessels or structures may include:
concrete or earthen ponds
fibreglass or plastic tanks or tubes
glassware
plastic bags
plastic-lined pools.
Other equipment may include:
aeration, carbon dioxide addition
lights
production vessel holder
temperature-controlled room.
Treated water may include:
aeration
chemical (e.g. change pH, hardness and salinity)
heating or cooling
micro-filtration
ozone
pre-conditioning (left to stand with aeration).
Inoculation cultures may include:
brine shrimp (Artemia and Parartemia)
copepods
Daphnia
mosquitoes, beetles or other insects
nematodes
polychaetes or other annelids (worms)
rotifers
various species of micro-algae
zooplankton.
Nutriment formulae or media may include:
batch or continuous dosing
feeds, including micro-algae, pellets, powders and emulsions
nutrients, fertilisers or other enrichment chemicals or formulae.
Physio-chemical requirements of the culture organism may include:
carbon dioxide
dissolved oxygen
hardness
light
mechanical or biological filtration
nutriment formulae or media
pH
salinity
temperature
water flow.
Culture health may include:
contaminants, including ciliates, males in rotifer cultures and unwanted species in micro-algal cultures
density of organisms (numbers per litre or millilitre)
feeding activity
growth and appearance
swimming activity.
Harvesting equipment may include:
buckets
nets, sieves or screens (mesh size generally below 100µm)
pumps
scoops
siphons.
Wastes may include:
dead or dying organisms
other contaminants, including soil and organic debris
uneaten nutriments.
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 all aspects of the production process
prepare nutriment formulae or media
coordinate staff to achieve the efficient and successful production of algal or live-feed cultures
treat culture water.
Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
operation process for effective production of algal or live-feed cultures, including setting up, initiating and breeding, monitoring health and growth, harvesting and cleaning up.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. The inoculation cultures used should reflect those typically grown by aquaculture enterprises in the region.
Resources may include:
inoculum culture
monitoring equipment
nutriment formulae or media
production and harvest equipment
production vessels and water treatments
staff to coordinate
water sampling tests.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
case study analysis
practical exercises
project (work or scenario based)
written or oral short-answer testing.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with RTE3704A Coordinate worksite activities, and other units within a qualification.
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 all aspects of the production process
prepare nutriment formulae or media
coordinate staff to achieve the efficient and successful production of algal or live-feed cultures
treat culture water.
Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
operation process for effective production of algal or live-feed cultures, including setting up, initiating and breeding, monitoring health and growth, harvesting and cleaning up.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. The inoculation cultures used should reflect those typically grown by aquaculture enterprises in the region.
Resources may include:
inoculum culture
monitoring equipment
nutriment formulae or media
production and harvest equipment
production vessels and water treatments
staff to coordinate
water sampling tests.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
case study analysis
practical exercises
project (work or scenario based)
written or oral short-answer testing.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with RTE3704A Coordinate worksite activities, and other units within a qualification.
Replaces
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| S4164 | SFIAQUA311A | Oversee production and maintain algal or live-feed cultures | Unit of competency |
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| OAS35 | SFIAQU306 | Monitor production and maintain algal or live-feed cultures | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| W986 | SFI30111 | Certificate III in Aquaculture | Qualification |