Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to initiate, maintain and harvest algal or live-feed cultures.
The unit applies to individuals who undertake routine tasks in producing algal and live-feed cultures in an aquaculture setting under the direction of a supervisor.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, according to state/territory health and safety, food safety, biosecurity and environmental regulations, legislation and standards that apply to the workplace.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements | Performance Criteria |
1. Prepare for production | 1.1 Confirm instructions for production schedule with supervisor 1.2 Collect required production equipment, including personal protective equipment, and check for serviceability 1.3 Perform workplace personal hygiene and equipment sanitation procedures |
2. Initiate and maintain cultures | 2.1 Prepare, fill and inoculate culture vessels according to workplace procedures 2.2 Maintain the requirements of the culture organism for the culture period 2.3 Monitor the health of the culture organism and report irregularities to supervisor |
3. Harvest culture | 3.1 Collect harvesting equipment and check for serviceability 3.2 Clean and sanitise collection vessels before and after use according to workplace procedures 3.3 Harvest required quantity and transfer to feed cultured stock |
4. Complete post-culture production activities | 4.1 Clean work area and dispose of waste materials safely according to workplace procedures 4.2 Clean and sanitise culture vessels according to hygiene and equipment sanitation procedures 4.3 Check and store tools and equipment, reporting any identified repair requirements to supervisor 4.4 Record relevant data and observations and report any abnormal records to supervisor |
Evidence of Performance
An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.
There must be evidence that the individual has produced and harvested algal or live-feed cultures on at least one occasion, including:
maintaining personal hygiene and equipment sanitation throughout culture production and harvest
communicating with and reporting to supervisor on production activities
inoculating and establishing culture
monitoring and maintaining the health and growing conditions of cultures
preparing, operating and maintaining production and harvest equipment
using personal protective equipment
completing accurate records on culture production
cleaning up work area and storing tools and equipment post-culture-production.
Evidence of Knowledge
An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:
culture periods and lifecycles of culture organisms
purpose and operation of algal or live-feed culture production and harvest equipment
basic physicochemical requirements of the culture organisms
hygiene, health and safety and environmental requirements for producing and harvesting algal or live-feed cultures
biosecurity in relation to producing algal and live-feed cultures.
Assessment Conditions
Assessment of the skills in this unit of competency must take place under the following conditions:
physical conditions:
skills must be demonstrated in an aquaculture workplace setting or an environment that accurately represents workplace conditions
resources, equipment and materials:
production and harvest equipment for producing algal or live-feed cultures
personal protective equipment
inoculation cultures and nutriments
production vessels
treated water
data or recording sheets
specifications:
production schedule
workplace procedures for producing algal or live-feed cultures, including advice on health and safety, personal hygiene and equipment sanitation
relationships:
evidence of interactions with supervisor.
Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.
Foundation Skills
Skill | Description |
Reading | Interprets text in workpace procedures and production schedules Interprets labels, warning and safety signs, and gauges and meters |
Writing | Completes workplace records legibly and accurately |
Numeracy | Calculates culture periods Counts or determines density of algal or live-feed culture organisms Measures volumes and weighs chemicals/feed additives |
Oral communication | Asks questions to clarify job requirements Uses correct terminology to describe abnormal records |
Get the work done | Makes routine decisions about culture-growing environment and culture health abnormalities or irregularities |
Sectors
Aquaculture (AQU)