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:

choose between treatment or prevention options taking into account economic, regulatory, environmental and OHS factors

develop and use work procedures covering all aspects of stock health

monitor effectiveness of stock health activities, including performance of staff.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

costs of chemicals and other disease treatment or control methods

interaction between stock, the environment and disease agents in the development and treatment or control of disease

regulations relating to use of chemicals and other disease treatments or control methods.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Resources may include:

functional aquaculture, seafood holding or ornamental facility

work procedures.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

workplace project with a range of evidence, including workplace records, work procedures, staff duty statements, health management calendar, minutes of meetings, journal or diary, annotated photographs, and third-party reports and supporting documents, such as annotated research notes and comparative budgets.

Guidance information for assessment

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

Required skills

communicating details of the stock health program so personnel understand their roles and responsibilities

assessing options for mechanisation or automation of process or activity, including the use of specialised contract services

diagnosing health problems in cultured or held stock

planning, organising and implementing annual health program

providing feedback to staff on their performance in relation to stock health program

researching and analysing options for safe and effective husbandry practices, controls and treatments, and options for improving efficiency, such as use of mechanised or automated equipment and contract services

safely operating required tools and equipment according to OHS requirements.

Literacy skills used for:

developing and recording a daily routine for health control and disease prevention

developing and recording a yearly calendar of events to implement stock health

interpreting the stock production plan and stock health management plan

monitoring developments in stock health by accessing written and electronic media

passing on instructions and work procedures to staff.

Numeracy skills used for:

calculating medication and chemical requirements

confirming appropriateness of dose rates calculated by supervisors or other junior staff.

Required knowledge

characteristics of healthy cultured or held stock

ecology and behaviour of pests and predators, and disease agents or species

legislation and regulations relating to animal and plant health care, uses of chemicals and food safety issues

legislation and regulations relating to shellfish sanitation and depuration program

purpose of stock health programs

relevant OHS legislation, regulations and codes of practice

work procedures used for disease control and prevention in cultured or held stock

vulnerability of cultured or held stock to pests, predators and diseases

welfare requirements of cultured or held stock.

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:

business or workplace operations, policies and practices:

commercial law, including fair trading and trade practices

consumer law

corporate law, including registration, licensing and financial reporting

disability policies and practices

equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment

industrial relations and awards, individual employment contracts and share of catch agreements

jurisdictional variations

superannuation

taxation

trade practices

warnings and dismissals

worker's compensation

ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

fisheries or aquaculture regulations, permits, licences, quotas, catch restrictions, and other compliance requirements, including:

Australian Exclusive Economic Zone

international treaties and agreements

food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody

imports quarantine and inspection, and importing approved arrangements for Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), Australian Customs Service (ACS) and Biosecurity Australia (BA)

Indigenous native title, land claims and cultural activities, including fishing by traditional methods

maritime and occupational diving operations:

foreign and Australian legislation applying to quarantine and customs

International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 1978)

Marine Emergency Response Search and Rescue (MERSAR)

National Standards for Commercial Vessels

pollution prevention - International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78)

Uniform Shipping Laws (USL) Code

use of vessels, right of way and other marine orders, bunkering and refuelling

land, buildings and vehicles:

buildings and structures design and appearance, constructions and additions

poaching, trespass and theft

road laws for use of motor vehicles, bikes, trucks and other transport equipment

soil and water management

use of chemicals and biological agents

use of firearms and powerheads

use of utilities, including water, natural gas, electricity and sewage

water or land lease, tenure or ownership and use

OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control

product quality assurance:

correct naming and labelling (e.g. country of origin, Australian Fish Names Standard and eco-labelling)

correct quantities, sizes and other customer requirements

third-party certification, such as Australian Grown and ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems.

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.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:

Australian Shellfish Sanitation program

display, packaging and sale of food, including seafood and aquatic products

equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance

exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders

handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products

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:

controlling use and recycling of water, and managing water quality and quantity

increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources

managing environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

managing imported products quarantine and inspection, facility biosecurity, translocation of livestock and genetic material, and health certification

managing stock health and welfare, especially for handling, holding, transport and slaughter

managing sustainable fisheries or broodstock/seedstock collection requirements, such as size limits, quotas, season restrictions, population dynamics, fishing impacts, reducing by-catch, fisheries management strategies, and maintaining biodiversity

managing, controlling and treating effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution

minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions

planning environmental and resource efficiency improvements

preventing genetically modified and live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment

protecting native and protected flora and fauna, marine or land parks or areas, adhering to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), the Ramsar Convention, World Heritage and other international treaties for which Australia is a signatory

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases

reducing use of non-renewable resources

reducing disturbances to soils, erosion and surface water flows from machinery use and other activities

reducing energy use and introducing alternative energy sources.

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).

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.

Health problems may include:

pests and competitors

predators

diseases - infectious and non-infectious (environmental)

parasites and other pathogens

toxic algae

chemicals or other contaminants.

Exotic pests, predators and diseases may include:

any pest, predator or disease agents not present in the region that may have a severe economic impact on the aquaculture, seafood holding or ornamental enterprise or regional industry sector

pests:

any organisms which negatively impact on the production of the cultured or held stock

competitors (e.g. food, space, shelter and oxygen).

Notifiable refers to:

state/territory and federal regulations or cooperative disease control programs.

Control measures (relevant to filter feeding stock) may include:

capture and relocation

deterrence (e.g. cultural, biological or environmental)

elimination (e.g. shooting or chemical poisoning)

exclusion (e.g. physical barriers)

others, as appropriate.

Filter feeding stock may include:

bivalves:

clams

giant clams

mussels

oysters

pearl oysters

scallops

larval stages of cultured or held stock

live-feeds, such as Artemia, Rotifers, Daphnia

'living rock', corals and other invertebrates

sponges

tunicates.

Contamination may include:

chemicals and pollutants

E. coli, other faecal coliforms and other bacteria

toxic algae

viruses.

Routines for health treatment may include:

bathing or dipping

disinfectants (e.g. foot baths and tanks)

environmental manipulation (e.g. salinity and shade)

fallowing of ponds and net sites

filters, ultraviolet (UV) and ozone

oral treatments (in feeds)

removal of troublesome organisms

selection of resistant phase or species

sprays or water treatments

vaccinations or injections.

Therapeutic may include:

non-registered agents/chemicals

registered agents/chemicals

veterinary advice

withholding periods for chemicals and medicines.