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.

Harvest:
· drain harvests (stock may be picked up from the pond or collected from the effluent)
· full or partial
· trap harvesting
· netting or lining (hand lines or rods)
· fish pumps
· sieves or bags.

Harvest schedule:
· culture structures to be harvested
· quantities and specific quality parameters of stock
· equipment required for harvest operations
· time at which harvest is to be carried out
· period over which harvest is to be carried out
· destination of harvested stock
· work team members to be involved.

Equipment:
· harvesting equipment:
· dilly nets, drop nets, scoop nets, trawl/prawn nets, cast nets, crowd nets, gill nets, traps (eg bait and opera house traps) and wing nets
· flow traps
· hand lines and fishing lines
· fish pumps or brails
· substrate and hides
· holding and transport equipment:
· buckets
· bins
· troughs
· tanks
· trays
· baskets
· bags
· bait and attractants.

Culture structures:
· dams, ponds, pools, tanks and raceways
· cages, pontoons, enclosures and pens
· long lines, rafts, racks, trays and fences
· hatcheries and nurseries.

Post-harvest facilities for:
· slaughtering
· cooking
· sedation, including ice, carbon dioxide or anaesthetics
· holding, depurating or purging
· sorting or grading
· processing, including shucking molluscs, gill-gutting and bleeding, scaling or cleaning and icing or temperature manipulation
· packing.

Dangerous stock:
· crocodiles
· stock with spikes, spines and teeth
· poisonous molluscs.

Stock:
· finfish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic reptiles, amphibians, miscellaneous aquatic invertebrates, micro-algae, seaweeds and aquatic plants
· adults, larvae, juveniles, seeds, spat, broodstock and hatchlings.

OHS requirements:
· codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes that may apply in a jurisdiction
· enterprise-specific.

Quality parameters:
· physical appearance
· type and extent of external damage
· size or weight
· sex and maturation condition
· shape and colour
· body condition, including fat content and meat yield.

ESD principles:
· managing and controlling effluent waste
· reducing contaminants
· preventing culture stock from escaping
· disposing of dead plant or animal matter and undergrade stock.

Government regulations:
Relevant local, State/Territory and Commonwealth legislation, regulations and orders.

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:
· behaviour of stock as it relates to harvest
· harvest equipment operating methods
· harvest equipment maintenance and repairs
· effects of water and weather conditions on stock and the OHS of employees
· effects on environment of wastes and effluent from harvesting activities
· SOPs for handling stock.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standard include:
· operating basic harvesting equipment
· maintaining and repairing basic harvesting equipment
· recognising normal and abnormal stock behaviour
· providing verbal reports to the supervisor on activity irregularities.

Literacy skills used for:
· reading and interpreting harvest schedules
· recording harvest information.
·
Numeracy skills used for:
· counting stock and containers.

Licences may be required if operating:
· vessels
· load-shifting equipment, including forklifts
· vehicles.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· harvest stock according to harvest schedule, supervisor's instructions and with minimal risk of stock stress or damage.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· harvest equipment operation consistent with SOPs and manufacturers' guidelines.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· SFIAQUA206B - Handle stock
· SFISTOR201B - Prepare and pack stock for live transport
· SFIFISH209B - Maintain the temperature of seafood.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace while harvest is under way or in a simulated work environment.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· written or oral short-answer testing
· observation of practical demonstration or simulation.

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· harvest schedules
· culture structures with/in water containing stock that exhibits a range of quality parameters
· harvesting equipment, SOPs and manufacturers' guidelines
· holding and transporting equipment
· post-harvest processing facilities.