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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Diagnose disease outbreaks
  2. Select prevention and control methods for diseases
  3. Treat ill health in stock
  4. Monitor and review post-disease treatment or control activities and operations

Required Skills

Required skills

applying treatments to diseases

assessing signs of stress in stock

communicating information about disease control activities to staff

communicating significant changes to treatments to senior personnel

coordinating staff carrying out disease control activities

diagnosing disease infestations or outbreaks

identifying potential improvements

providing feedback to staff on performance

reviewing disease control programs

reviewing risk disease problems

selecting control measures for the treatment of diseases

Literacy skills used for

filling out regulatory forms

labelling samples

interpreting stock health plans labels and laboratory reports

recording information on enterprise data sheets

writing reports for management

Numeracy skills used for

analysing the costeffectiveness of medicationchemical usage

estimating infestation severity

calculating dose rates for medicationchemicals

weights and volumes

Required knowledge

alternate combinations of treatment methodologies

characteristics signs and symptoms of disease infestations of cultured or held stock

chemical and nonchemical control measures

common types and causes of environmental diseases

ESD principles

importance of good water quality and correct nutrition

life cycles and physiology of disease organisms

local regional and state or territorybased priorities for the use of chemicals in the control of infestations or outbreaks

locationavailability of expert assistance

normalabnormal stock behaviour

notifiable diseases and associated regulatory requirements

relevant OHS food safety and ESD requirements relating to overseeing the control of diseases

treatment and control methodologies stock behaviour characteristics and withholding periods of various common treatment programs

Evidence Required

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

organise staff assisting with disease control

select control methods in line with enterprise guidelines

to protect or prevent stock being harmed by diseases

respond to outbreaks of diseases in such a way as to minimise loss or harm to stock

Assessment must confirm knowledge of

characteristics signs and symptoms of disease outbreaks of cultured or held stock

life cycles and physiology of disease organisms

types of environmental diseases

methods for prevention and control of outbreaks of diseases

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment and should reflect the range of controls and preventative measures used on diseases typically threatening cultured or held stock in the local area

Resources may include

culture or holding structures and stock

equipment for controlling diseases

medications chemicals or products used in the treatment of diseases

microscopes and dissecting instruments

research reference material

staff to supervise

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

case study analysis

project work or scenario based

research assignment

written or oral shortanswer testing

Guidance information for assessment

This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification

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.

Cultured or held stock may include:

adults, broodstock (ready to breed), seedstock or stockers, eggs and sperm, fertilised eggs, larvae, post-larvae, seed, spat, hatchlings, yearlings, juveniles, fry, fingerlings, yearlings, smolt, sporophytes, seedlings and tissue cultures

finfish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic reptiles, amphibians, polychaete and oligochaete worms, plankton, micro-algae, seaweed, aquatic plants, live rock, sponges and other aquatic invertebrates

for human consumption (seafood), stockers for other farms, stockers for conservation or recreational fishing, display or companion animals (ornamentals), and other products, including pearls, skins, shells, eggs, chemicals and pigments

wild caught, hatchery or nursery reared.

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

Indigenous land rights and cultural activities, including fishing by traditional methods

OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

OHS standards may include:

appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers

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.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:

Australian Shellfish Sanitation program

equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance

exporting requirements, including Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders

handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), food safety program, and other risk minimisation and quality assurance systems

location, construction and servicing of seafood premises

people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements

Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)

processing, further processing and preparation of food, including seafood and aquatic products

product labelling, tracing and recall

receipt, storage and transportation of food, including seafood and aquatic products

requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code and state and territory food regulations

temperature and contamination control along chain of custody.

ESD principles may include:

applying animal welfare ethics and procedures

control of effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution

control of weeds, pests, predators and diseases, and stock health maintenance

improving energy efficiency

increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources

minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions

preventing live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases

reducing energy use

reducing interactions with native and protected flora and fauna, marine or land parks or areas

reducing use of non-renewable resources

undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

undertaking facility quarantine, biosecurity and translocation of livestock and genetic material

using and recycling 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)

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 outdoor clothing for tropical conditions

respirator or face mask

safety harness

sun protection (e.g. sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses)

uniforms or overalls

waterproof clothing (e.g. wet weather gear and waders).

Diseases may include:

causes of impairment of health or a condition resulting in abnormal functioning of the cultured or held stock

environmental causes, such as poor water quality or contaminants (chemicals)

nutritional (e.g. feed contaminants, quality and quantity)

viruses, protozoans, bacteria, fungi, worms, parasites and toxins of biological origin (e.g. toxic algae).

Diagnosed may include:

dissection of stock

microscope, binocular or stage

visual inspection.

Preventionand controlmethods may include:

appropriate nutritional program, additional vitamins

biological control (e.g. cleaner fish)

chemical barriers (e.g.foot baths)

deprivation or purging

disinfection of equipment

filtration, ozonation or water treatment

freshwater, saltwater or chemical baths

medication in food

probiotics and other chemicals (e.g. pesticides, herbicides and algaecides)

prophylactic treatments of probiotics

reducing stress (e.g. providing cover, hides, shelters and habitat)

replacing susceptible species/variety with resistant species/variety

vaccination or inoculation:

medicated feeds

syringes, drippers and other application equipment

water quality optimisation.