SFIAQUA508C
Plan and design stock culture or holding systems and structures

This unit of competency involves designing stock culture or holding structures and systems for aquacultural enterprises and facilities. No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application

This unit has application to stock culture and holding structures and systems. They may be manually operated systems and monitoring, or fully automated systems with computer control and monitoring. Standards of uniformity and efficiency may vary from system to system.

All enterprise or workplace procedures and activities are carried out according to relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements, including occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines and ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles.

Equipment operation, maintenance, repairs and calibrations are undertaken in a safe manner that conforms to manufacturer instructions. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected, checked, used and maintained.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Determine appropriate location or orientation

1.1. Type of culture or holding structure or system is determined to ensure appropriate environment is provided for cultured or held stock.

1.2. Numbers of structures are determined to ensure stock is available in sufficient quantity at harvest.

1.3. Water use and culture or holding structure or system are designed, located or orientated to make the best use of water resources.

1.4. Mechanisation or automation of process or activity, including the use of specialised contract services, is researched and introduced.

1.5. Design calculations and decisions are documented and construction specifications define the work required to make suitable culture or holding structures available.

1.6. Environmentally sensitive areas are identified and protected according to local, state, territory and national legislation and land degradation issues identified.

2. Design culture or holding structures and systems

2.1. Individual culture or holding structures are designed to provide optimal conditions for the cultured or held stock and to be combined into reliable, functional, serviceable and flexible systems for the intended operations.

2.2. All production inputs and culture or holding activities are considered in the design of the systems.

2.3. Construction materials are selected to suit the design specifications and design calculations and decisions are documented.

2.4. Relationship between capital and operational costs is optimised, including a comparison of energy sources.

2.5. Power supply design specifications are checked with power authorities.

2.6. Structures, valves, accessories and performance indicators are selected and integrated into functional systems that can be monitored and maintained.

2.7. Construction specifications define work required to achieve the required standards of uniformity and efficiency of culture or holding operations according to industry standards.

3. Determine capital expense budget

3.1. Design calculations and decisions are documented and relevant information is communicated clearly through plans, specifications and manuals.

3.2. Design output is checked by a competent designer against enterprise objectives.

3.3. Materials requirements are determined and documented from plans and specifications.

3.4. Labour requirements are estimated, based upon documented work schedule with reasonable allowance for variances in work schedules.

3.5. External labour and hire equipment contracts are negotiated and confirmed with management.

3.6. Costing attributed to each component is based upon quoted information from suppliers or sound analysis of individual elements.

4. Determine operating expense budget

4.1. Operating expense budget confirms all expenses are applied to the completed stock culture or holding system.

Required Skills

Required skills

applying analytical processes to identify labour and cost savings, and improved efficiencies

communicating with contractors, suppliers and management

defining culture systems

designing a culture or holding structure and integrating that into a culture or holding system

determining capital expense budget and operating expense budget

determining design requirements

negotiating contracts for labour and equipment hire

organising costing, labour, contractors, suppliers, materials and equipment

researching mechanical and automation options.

Literacy skills used for:

documenting design and specifications

interpreting technical literature and design specifications

maintaining records

reading equipment operator manuals

writing reports.

Numeracy skills used for:

applying formulae to determine flows, pump efficiency, dissolved oxygen and water requirements, and volume and surface area

budgeting and reviewing costings

comparing energy sources.

Required knowledge

automatic control and monitoring systems

biological requirements of cultured of held stock

budgeting, waste management and environmental issues

contract development and management

design processes

government regulations

latest culture technology

mechanisation or automation of process or activity

use of specialised contract services.

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:

design basic systems

assess impact of designed system on:

cost reduction and efficiency

labour

OHS

stock.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

aquaculture engineering

aquatic organism physiology

functions of stock culture or holding structure components

stock, biological and production cycles.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. It should involve planning and designing one or more culture structures typically used in the region.

Resources may include:

farm or hatchery components.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

case studies

demonstration

practical exercises

project (work or scenario based)

written or oral short-answer questions.

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.

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 (e.g. 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.

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).

Culture or holding structure or system may include:

blowers, aerators, paddlewheels and aspirators

cages, pontoons, enclosures and pens, including associated moorings, anchors, floats and markers

dams, ponds and pools

display tanks, aquaria and aquascapes

greenhouses, hothouses and igloos

grow out facilities, hatcheries and nurseries

harvesting swimways, canals or channels

live holding tanks, bins, cages and pens

longlines, posts, racks and rails, rafts, fences, socks, trays, sticks, baskets, modules, barrels, bags and panels

open, flow-through, closed and semi-closed systems

pest, predator and disease control structures

purging or depurating systems

tanks, raceways and recirculating systems

water supply and disposal or effluent systems, including pumps, pipes, canals, channels, settlement ponds and storage dams.

Production inputs and culture or holding activities may include:

chemicals and treatments

food and nutriments

handling

harvesting

pest, predator and disease control

post-harvest

stocking

transport

water supply and disposal.

Construction materials may include:

brick

concrete

earth

fibreglass

glass

nylon

PVC, polyethylene and other plastics

stainless steel and treated metals

wood.

(Design) decisions may be influenced by:

budget

environmental constraints

owner preferences

product availability

quoting procedures.


Sectors

Unit sector

Aquaculture operations


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.


Licensing Information

Refer to Unit Descriptor