This unit applies to personnel employed as fishing tour guides, charter boat operators, deck hands, sports fishermen and retail tackle shop employees.
This may also include those working for private outdoor adventure companies, volunteer organisations, not for profit organisations, government agencies, or group instructors in outdoor education programs.
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ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the Evidence Guide. |
1. Prepare for estuarine fishing. | 1.1. Identify target recreational species and their habitats. 1.2. Identify potential hazards associated with estuarine fishing and procedures to minimise risks. 1.3. Access relevant sources to interpret detailed weather and environmental information that may impact on the activity. 1.4. Determine the most appropriate fishing technique for the target species. 1.5. Select appropriate fishing rig, equipment, terminal tackle, bait or lure and berley for target species and check working order. 1.6. Select safety equipment and gear to minimise risk of injury. 1.7. Assemble and balance fishing rig to suit target species, habitat and the fishing environment. |
2. Catch estuarine fish. | 2.1. Locate appropriate fishing location and determine safety measures according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 2.2. Deploy fishing rig using appropriate technique to present lure or bait to the target species. 2.3. Disperse berley if applicable. 2.4. Monitor fishing rigs performance and change settings as required to optimise outcomes. 2.5. Retrieve rig and land fish in appropriate manner according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. |
3. Handle estuarine fish. | 3.1. Handle and release fish in a humane manner according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 3.2. Release fish using appropriate tagging and return techniques. 3.3. Despatch retained fish in a humane manner according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. |
4. Finalise fishing operations | 4.1. Analyse performance of the fishing rig, bait or lure and berley. 4.2. Identify improvements or modifications for future fishing sessions. 4.3. Clean, maintain and safely stow fishing rig and equipment according to organisational policies and procedures. |
Required skills |
problem-solving skills to: respond appropriately to changing conditions decide on fishing equipment and materials to use determine techniques to use when fishing in different conditions planning and organising skills to: source estuarine fishing equipment, materials, bait and berley ensure all gear and equipment is in good working order read estuarine waters and determine the most appropriate target fish, fishing rig and techniques to use to catch fish literacy skills to analyse, interpret and apply weather and environmental information, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to ensure safe conduct of fishing activities self management skills to: review and reflect on own performance set goals to improve estuarine fishing techniques first aid and emergency response skills appropriate to the estuarine location to enable initial response to emergencies and personal health care. |
Required knowledge |
legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe and legal conduct of all activities performed in estuarine environments fish species preferred habitats and food or feeding styles fishing locations and best times to target fish species including tidal pattern, evening, dawn, season, migratory pattern, lunar cycle, breeding cycle estuarine fishing equipment, its characteristics and technology, and advantages and disadvantages of the range of equipment safety equipment and gear to minimise risk of injury baits and lures suitable for target species, fishing rig and deployment method bait or lure deployment methods and techniques which present the bait or lure to the target species in the most advantageous manner fishing rigging techniques suitable for estuarine waters and fishing rig setting adjustments to optimise performance selection, preparation and deployment of berley to maximise attraction of target species fishing rod designs and features suitable for estuary applications and the target species hand reels suitable for estuary fishing and the target species safe and appropriate rig and catch retrieval techniques which minimise stress to the fish and damage to the rig landing and de-hooking techniques appropriate to the species of fish techniques in handling fish and returning undersized and unwanted fish to the water without damage techniques in humanely dispatching of fish quickly and decisively dangerous fish species and their defining features and methods of handling them basic weather and environmental information to ascertain possible conditions and their affect on the activity. |
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 and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: applies safety measures to conduct estuarine fishing activities and selects safety equipment and gear to minimise the risk of injury applies a range of fishing techniques and processes to catch and handle fish in estuarine environments using various baits and lures evaluates and reflects on own performance to identify strengths and weaknesses and areas that need improvement. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure participation in multiple estuary fishing activities in locations that reflect local conditions to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance. Assessment must also ensure access to: appropriate estuarine fishing environments equipment to fish in estuarine fishing environments. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: observation of safe participation and demonstration of all practical tasks during estuarine fishing oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of estuarine fishing techniques and equipment observation of safe and humane catching and handling of fish third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended. |
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. | |
Recreational species may include: | Australian Bass Barramundi Blackfish Bonito Bream, Black and Yellow Fin Estuary Cod Estuary Perch Flathead Flounder Garfish Kingfish Luderick Mackeral Mangrove Jack Morwong Mullet Mulloway Queen Fish Snapper Sooty Grunter Tailor Tarpon Tarwhine Tommy Ruff Trevally Whiting. |
Hazards may include: | dangerous fish poisonous or dangerous flora or fauna temperature extremes slippery or unstable terrain stinging trees and nettles dense vegetation group management hazards. |
Risks may include: | hypothermia heat exhaustion injuries exhaustion lost party or party member equipment failure stings and bites. |
Relevant sources may include: | Bureau of Meteorology media land managers or agencies coastal patrol or coastguard volunteer marine rescue local knowledge. |
Weather and environmental information may include: | satellite images daily and weekly forecasts maximum and minimum temperatures weather warnings event warnings river levels synoptic charts high and low tide predictions. |
Fishing techniques may include: | lure spinning float bottom drifting live or dead bait trolling depth and speed. |
Fishing rig, equipment, terminal tackle may include: | rods reels and line rigs. |
Bait may include: | prawns cungevoi bread abalone pilchards whitebait live fish pippies worms. |
Lures may include: | soft plastic metal minnow spinners. |
Berley may include: | tuna oil chicken pellets bread fish frames maggots. |
Relevant legislation may include: | occupational health and safety permits or permission for access environmental regulations: marine regulations fishing regulations and restrictions protected species recreational fishery and netting licenses fish and bag size limits. |
Organisational policies and procedures may include: | occupational health and safety safety and emergency procedures use, maintenance and storage of fishing equipment procedures for handling dangerous fish humane handling of fish policies procedures for returning undersized and unwanted fish to water manufacturer's design specifications and recommendations for equipment use code of ethics. |
Handle and release fish may include: | using fish handling tools, crates and rubber landing nets removing hook or cutting the line de hooking with fish still in the water using gentle release practices. |
Outdoor Recreation
This unit contains employability skills.
Regulatory requirements may apply to this unit, depending on the waters in which the unit is to be assessed. Confirm requirements with the appropriate state authority.