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.

Handling schedule:
· stock species and types to be handled
· timing of handling
· quantities to be handled (number, volume, weight)
· pre-handling activities (purging, anaesthesia)
· handling activities
· destination of handled stock
· specific requirements, such as:
special care or handling techniques
observations to be made
· workteam members.

Equipment:
· handling equipment:
nets
cages
traps
scoops
· aerators and other water treating equipment
· culture structures/work
· transport equipment:
buckets or pails
boxes or bags
tanks
· fish pump
· counters
· scales, measuring equipment
· cleaning equipment
· swim way
· remote operated video or still camera
· graders
· safety equipment:
protective clothing (gloves, boots, masks, overalls)
anaesthetic restraints for dangerous animals
emergency procedures

Stock:
· finfish (including ornamentals), crustaceans, molluscs, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, microalgae, aquatic plants, miscellaneous aquatic invertebrates, such as sponges
· wild caught animals and plants
· hatchery/nursery produced animals and plants
· grow out animals and plants
· adults, larvae, seed, spat, juveniles, fry, smolt, yearlings, sporophytes, seedling, fingerlings, hatchlings, broodstock
· age, size groups
· other grouping (e.g. male/female).

Culture structures:
· dams, ponds and pools, tanks and race ways, glass or plastic aquaria
· cages, pontoons, enclosures and pens
· long lines, rafts, racks and trays, fences, baskets
· grow out facilities, hatcheries and nurseries.

Water quality and rearing conditions:
· water temperature
· pH
· salinity
· dissolved oxygen
· hardness
· water flow
· contaminants (nitrogenous wastes, carbon dioxide, pollutants)
· predators, competitors, pests
· water level
· integrity of structure (no holes, tears or rips).

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

Handling:
· weigh and measure
· count:
by hand (gloves, counters, tally sheet)
hand-operated machines
electronic machines (videos, sensors)
number, volume or weight
· move, transport, transfer:
fish pumps
nets, buckets, brails, bins
cages
transport containers
swim channels, pipes, raceways
· half pearl seeding of molluscs
· turning of seeded molluscs
· anaesthesis of stock
· stock cleaning (generally only undertaken with molluscs such as pearl oysters, mussels and oysters):
by hand (water, chipping and scrubbing using hoses, sprays, gloves, chisels, brushes, knives)
pearl net panel washing machines
hoses and sprays
baths or raceways
no chemical usage

Statistical data:
· numbers
· age
· growth rates
· mortalities
· grade, sort:
by hand
grading/sorting table
simple, hand-operated (sieves, screens, meshes)
mechanical (rollers, drums, sloping screens, vibrating screens)
electronic machines
· introduce into stock culture structures
acclimatise:
temperature
pH
hardness
salinity.

Occupational Health and Safety requirements may include:
· codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction
· facility-specific Occupational Health and Safety procedures, policies or standards.

Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles:
· applying animal welfare ethics
· treatment of water waste, reducing contaminants
· preventing escape of culture stock
· disposing of dead plant or animal matter.

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:
· basic stock behaviour and biological requirements as they relate to stock handling activities
· life cycles of species as they relate to stock handling activities
· stock type and groupings
· abnormal stock behaviour and methods of control
· safety considerations and hazards associated with moving stock
· handling equipment options and limitations
· handling equipment maintenance and basic repairs
· effects of handling on stock
· effects of water and weather conditions on stock and Occupational Health and Safety of employees
· correct handling for dangerous species
· record keeping.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· handling stock
· operating basic handling equipment
· maintaining and repairing basic handling equipment
· recognising normal and abnormal stock behaviour and environmental conditions.

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

Literacy skills used for:
· reading and interpreting a handling schedule
· recording handling information
· providing verbal report to supervisor.

Numeracy skills used for:
· counting, weighing and measuring stock and containers.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm ability to:
recognise a range of stock types and stock groupings and handle stock with minimum risk of stress and injury to stock, according to instructions.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· procedures for stock handling activities likely to be undertaken
· standard operating procedures for equipment used for stock handling activities.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· SFIAQUA201B - Collect broodstock and seedstock
· SFIAQUA215A - Carry out on-farm post-harvest operations
· SFIAQUA216A - Harvest aquacultured stock
· SFISTOR201B - Prepare and pack stock for live transport.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment and should include typical handling activities that are normally being undertaken in the region.

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

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· handling schedule
· stock which represent a range of stock groupings
· source/destination culture structures
· equipment for handling stock
· any products and treatments required for handling activities
· data sheets for recording handling and stock information
· SOPs for stock handling.