SFIPROC302C
Handle and pack sashimi-grade fish

This unit of competency involves handling, grading and packing sashimi-grade fish. These fish are handled individually with special care to ensure that the flesh is suitable for slicing as sashimi. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Therefore it will be necessary to check with the relevant state or territory regulators for current licensing, legislative or regulatory requirements before undertaking this unit.

Application

This unit has application for fish processing facilities that handle sashimi-grade fish for domestic and export trade.

Sashimi-grade fish are handled under stringent quality procedures. Where exported, it also must meet Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) criteria and the food regulations of importing countries.

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, food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures 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. Transport fish

1.1. Whole fish are removed from fishing vessels with the care required to ensure that the fish is not damaged or bent.

1.2. Fish are stored at the processing premises under chilled, hygienic conditions, and kept under conditions that ensure they are not damaged.

2. Grade fish

2.1. Fish are visually inspected for defects, diseases and parasites and defective fish are set aside for other uses or markets.

2.2. Selected fish are graded by visual inspection using all of the sashimi-grade criteria as set out in the specifications for the species.

2.3. Fish that fail to meet sashimi-grade criteria are set aside for other uses or markets.

3. Wipe and chill fish

3.1. Sashimi-grade fish are wiped clean of any slime.

3.2. Any ice within the body cavity is carefully removed and replaced with potable ice sealed in plastic bags to ensure that the temperature of the fish meets food regulations.

4. Pack fish

4.1. Cleaned fish are weighed and packaged for transport to meet the requirements AQIS, the transport company, the domestic customer or the importing country.

4.2. Identification and traceability of product is maintained according to enterprise food safety program.

4.3. Packaged fish is labelled according to the requirements of AQIS, the domestic customer or the importing country.

Required Skills

Required skills

cleaning and maintaining a hygienic workplace

communicating orally to give and receive information

grading of sashimi-grade fish against criteria

hygienic handling, and storage of sashimi-grade fish

identifying signs of defects, disease and parasites in sashimi-grade fish.

Literacy skills used for:

interpreting enterprise procedures

interpreting specifications

reading, writing and checking information on labels.

Numeracy skills used for:

measuring the length and weight of fish

reading weighing scales.

Required knowledge

application of OHS standards for the lifting of heavy loads and/or operating material handling equipment

enterprise quality system procedures addressing customer specifications, product identification and traceability

food safety procedures and regulations that apply when handling and storing species packed for sashimi

personal, workplace and product hygiene principles

spoilage patterns and common defects, disease and parasites of species packed for sashimi

sashimi-grade criteria.

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:

accurately assess sashimi-grade fish

ensure that fish meets food regulation requirements of destination market (domestic or overseas)

handle, prepare, pack and label fish for transport.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

assessing sashimi-grade fish

common fish defects, diseases and parasites

spoilage patterns for common fish species packed for sashimi.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. To ensure consistency and level of performance at least twelve (12) fish are to be correctly assessed, packaged and labelled.

Resources may include:

area for the handling of sashimi-grade fish

cutting knife

fish that are at sashimi-grade as well as fish that are not at the grade

labels

packaging material

scales.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

demonstration

oral questions.

Guidance information for assessment

This unit may be assessed holistically with other seafood processing 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

correct marketing names and labelling

environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

food safety/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody and Australian Quarantine Inspection Service ( AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders

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 the protection of people in the workplace

the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:

AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders

Australian Shellfish Sanitation program

chain of custody (temperature and contamination control)

equipment design, use and maintenance

HACCP

hygiene and sanitation requirements

location, construction and servicing of seafood premises

Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)

requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code.

ESD principles may include:

controlling effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution

improving energy efficiency

increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources

minimising noise or odour emissions

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases

reducing energy use

reducing use of non-renewable resources

undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

using and recycling of water, and maintaining water quality.

PPE may include:

gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering

insulated protective clothing for freezers, chillers and refrigeration units

non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear

protective hair, beard and boot covers

uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons).

Specifications may relate to:

bleeding

bruising

fat content

gilling and gutting

head spiking, spinal cord destroyed

ice packaging

meat colour

packaging material (wooden and insulated foam 'coffins')

size grade

skin damage.

Species may include:

Atlantic Salmon

Barramundi

tropical snappers and cods

tuna species

Yellowtail Kingfish, Snapper and Trevally.


Sectors

Unit sector

Seafood processing


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.


Licensing Information

Refer to Unit Descriptor