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.

Seeding:
· pearl oysters, freshwater mussels, abalone and conch
· gluing or attachment of half pearls on the inside of the shell (mabe)
· does not include insertion of a nucleus into the gonadal or somatic tissue of the shellfish for round pearl production.

Labour requirements:
· skilled handling workers, unskilled laborers
· plant, equipment, vehicle or vessel operators
· specialised equipment operators
· transport operators.

Resource requirements:
· vessels, vehicles, trucks, trailers, cranes, load shifting equipment
· handling equipment
· holding and transport equipment.

Handling activities:
· weighing and measuring
· counting
· moving, transporting, transferring
· cleaning, washing
· quality control
· sampling for health assessment of stock.
· grading, sorting
· anaesthesia
· seeding of half pearls in molluscs
· stocking culture structures.

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

Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles:
· applying animal welfare ethics
· disposing of wastes and mortalities.

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:
· knowledge of categories or types of culture stock
· advanced stock behaviour and biological requirements of culture stock
· safety considerations and hazards associated with stock handling equipment options and limitations
· safety considerations and hazards associated with handling dangerous animals
· equipment calibration and operating methods
· equipment maintenance and repairs.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· handling activities undertaken with stock
· operating advanced handling equipment
· maintaining and repairing advanced handling equipment
· recognising normal and abnormal stock behaviour and environmental conditions
· supervising staff carrying out stock handling tasks.

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.

Numeracy skills used for:
· counting stock
· completing stock handling data sheets
· interpreting ratios, metric units and percentages.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· co-ordinate a range of stock handling activities, such as handling, cleaning, sampling, moving, grading and stocking culture structures, seeding of half pearls, and supervising other employees performing these activities.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· advanced stock behaviour and biological requirements
· safety considerations and hazards associated with stock handling equipment options and limitations.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· No recommendations.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. It should cover the supervision range of handling activities routinely carried out on aquaculture farms in the region.

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

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· handling schedule
· culture structure and stock
· staff to supervise
· equipment required for the handling activities being assessed
· enterprise data sheets or record books.