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.
Relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements may include:
biodiversity and genetically modified organisms
biosecurity, translocation and quarantine
Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) and other import requirements
business or workplace operations, policies and practices
ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
fisheries or aquaculture regulations, permits and licences
health and welfare of aquatic animals
maritime and occupational diving 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
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:
applying animal welfare ethics and procedures
controlling effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution
improving energy efficiency
increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources
maintaining biodiversity by sustainable fisheries or broodstock/seedstock collection
minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
reducing energy use
reducing use of non-renewable resources
reducing interactions with native and protected flora and fauna, marine or land parks or areas
reducing live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment
undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
undertaking facility quarantine, biosecurity and translocation of livestock and genetic material
using and recycling of water, and maintaining water quality.
PPE may include:
buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD)
gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering
hard hat or protective head covering
hearing protection (e.g. ear plugs and ear muffs)
insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units
non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
protective hair, beard and boot covers
protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions
respirator or face mask
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).
Fishing gear may include:
beach seines, mesh nets and gill nets
demersal fish and prawn trawls
drop line and longline fishing gear
hand operated line fishing gear, such as that used for handline fishing, trolling, squid jigging and rod and reel fishing
pots and traps
purse seines
traditional fishing methods, tools and equipment.
Beach seines, mesh nets or gill nets may include:
components:
connecting gear, such as knots, clips
ballast
by-catch reduction gear
flags, buoys and droppers
floatation gear
gear control and monitoring equipment
hangings
netting material
sweeps and bridles
dinghies
gill nets for:
estuarine species
sharks.
Demersal fish and prawn trawls may include:
components:
beam trawls
warps:
otter boards, such as towing brackets and back strops
sweeps and bridles
netting material
hangings
floatation gear
ground gear
by-catch reduction gear
lifting gear
cod-end closures (e.g. chain knot on fish trawls, drawstring knot on prawn trawls, zipper, hangman's knot and Dutch clip):
connecting gear (e.g. shackles, hammerlocks, chain, wires, ropes, Clevis pin connectors, G, C, D and sister clips)
prawn trawls:
banana prawn-type gear
tiger prawn-type gear.
Drop lines and longlines may include:
bottom set longlines
components:
bait
ballast
branch lines or snoods
by-catch reduction gear
connecting gear
detection gear (e.g. flag poles, lights, RADAR reflectors and radio transponders)
floats
hooks
main lines
retrieval gear
monofilament gear
rope gear
surface longlines:
tuna
other species
trot lines.
Hand operated lines may include:
components:
bait and burley
by-catch reduction gear
hand lines
hooks, jigs or lures
reels
rods
sinkers
nylon monofilament line
other fishing line
squid jigging machines
weighted hand lines mounted on a:
hand operated winch
hand reel
power operated winch
unweighted lines:
rod and reel
trolling gear.
Pots and traps may include:
bait and bait holding gear
ballast
bridles, toggles and lashings
by-catch reduction gear
components:
flag poles
dan buoys with lights, RADAR reflectors or radio transponders
floats
lines
pot or trap material and frame
crayfish pots
fish traps
octopus traps
Purse seines may include:
purse seines for catching:
bait
pilchards
salmon
tuna
components:
connecting gear (e.g. shackles, hammerlocks, chain, wires, ropes, Clevis pin connectors, G, C, D and sister clips)
floatation devices
ground gear
hangings and lashings
lifting gear
net skiff
overshoot rope and bridles, and heaving lines
purse rings or clips
purse rope
wire clamps.
Traditional fishing methods, tools or equipment may include:
baited woven fishing lines with bone or metal hooks
collection by hand
constructed/manipulated water bodies for aquaculture
free diving
harpoons or spears
modern equipment (e.g. powered vessels) can also be used to overcome OHS, animal welfare and other hazards
stick or brush hide traps
wooden rafts or canoes
wooden stick or rock fish traps
woven nets, pots or traps.
Criteria may include:
absence or breakage of gear components
amount of catch per unit of effort
amount of catch in comparison with other vessels
ease of deployment and retrieval
for beach seines and gill nets:
symmetry of sweeps, head ropes or foot ropes
for demersal fish and prawn trawls:
amount of debris in the net
asymmetry between nets or each side of a net
degree and character of polish on boards, sweep and ground gear
the symmetry of:
bridles
foot ropes
ground gear
head ropes
sweeps
warps
for purse seines:
shape of:
bridles
head ropes
foot ropes
pursing gear
for traps and pots, hand operated line fishing gear:
determining and monitoring tolerance to distortion of gear components, holes in gear material, and wear of gear components
quality of by-catch reduction gear and lifting gear
species composition of catch.
Factors may include:
depth
estuary condition
excessive by-catch
length of towing ground
moon phase
predators and other disturbances
proximity to appropriate fishing ground:
bait species
bottom growth
rock, sand, gravel or mud
steepness or flatness
proximity to hook-ups
proximity of other vessels
tides and current
season
swimming speed of target species
symmetry of vessel to gear when shooting, towing and hauling
water character:
fish feeding group and bait species
temperature, structure, colour and clarity
water mass or structures
weather
wind.
Monitored may include:
fish herding by 'splashing'
fishing device position in relation to target fishing site
ground contact
net hauling speed and direction
other vessels
time, distance and angle of gear to vessel
using electronic detection equipment, such as:
echo sounder
gear ranging equipment and displays
lights
net sonar or sounder
positioning systems
water temperature measuring and positioning device
vertical and horizontal dimensions of the gear
vertical and horizontal warp or rope angle
vessel towing speed and direction
visual and electronic position fixing methods.

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:
identify indicators of sub-optimal performance
identify viable stocks or determine productive grounds and water in response to information from various sources
keep all members of a team working efficiently and safely
maintain, adjust and position the vessel and gear during deployment, fishing and retrieval of components in order to optimise the catch
make adjustments to all aspects of fishing gear to optimise performance, if appropriate:
manoeuvre a vessel which is towing trawl gear along a predetermined route
manoeuvre a vessel which is deploying purse seine, beach seining or gill netting gear along a predetermined route
place a line at a predetermined position in the presence of a moderate current.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
factors that indicate and determine fishing device operating efficiency, including for trawls:
over and under-spreading, satisfactory ground contact, gear symmetry and headline height.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Resources may include:
operational vessel with access to stocks of appropriate target species
fishing gear and associated equipment.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
observation of practical demonstration
practical exercises
project work
written or oral short-answer testing.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.