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:

monitor stock behaviour and general health, basic water quality factors and environmental parameters for indications that they are outside of the acceptable range as determined by the enterprise.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

sampling and monitoring procedures relevant to the enterprise

stock behaviour and general health and how it is affected by changes in water quality

water quality factors and environmental parameters relevant to the aquaculture enterprise.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace while monitoring is undertaken, or in a simulated work environment. It is recommended that assessment is conducted over a series of monitoring sessions.

Resources may include:

culture or holding structures with/in water containing stock exhibiting a range of quality parameters

data sheets for recording information

environmental parameter range for stock species and culture or holding structures

monitoring and sampling equipment for culture or holding stock and water

monitoring schedules

range for water quality factors

test kits.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

demonstration

practical exercises

project work

written or oral short-answer testing.

Guidance information for assessment

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

Required skills

collecting samples of stock

collecting water and other environmental samples

communicating ideas on possible improvements

communicating with supervisor on monitoring activities

operating, maintaining and calibrating basic monitoring equipment

providing oral reports and written monitoring records on out of range and non-compliances to supervisor

recognising normal and abnormal stock behaviour and environmental conditions.

Literacy skills used for:

reading and interpreting monitoring schedules and enterprise procedures

recording and reviewing water quality data or environmental condition reports

recording monitoring information.

Numeracy skills used for:

basic calculations used in measuring water quality and dilutions

reading machines, meters or test kits.

Required knowledge

basic monitoring equipment:

calibration and operating methods

maintenance and basic repairs

options and limitations

basic sampling equipment:

maintenance and basic repairs

options and limitations

basic water quality factors and their impact on stock health

basic water quality tests to be undertaken

effects of environmental parameters and weather conditions on stock and OHS of employees

effects of farm wastes or effluent on environment

normal and abnormal stock behaviour.

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:

biosecurity, translocation and quarantine

environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

health and welfare of aquatic animals

safety at sea and pollution control

OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

OHS guidelines 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.

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 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)

hard hat or protective head covering

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

personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)

protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions

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).

Monitoring schedule may include:

culture or holding structures and monitoring site

environmental and weather conditions

equipment required

general observations, such as state or activity of culture or holding equipment, and behaviour and health of stock

basic routine water quality factors

time of day, frequency and monitoring period.

Stock behaviour may include:

aggressive or cannibalistic

colour changes

feeding

piping, darting, flashing or whirling movement

predator avoidance

reproduction or courtship

schooling or individuals

swimming (finfish), crawling (crustaceans or gastropods) or gaping (bivalves).

General health may include:

general appearance (e.g. colour, appendages, external parasites, skin or shell damage)

growth rates.

Routine water quality factors may include:

alkalinity

ammonia, total ammonia and nitrogen

dissolved oxygen

hardness and carbonate hardness

major organisms in surrounding environment

nitrate

nitrite

pH

salinity

temperature

tides, water flow and wave action

turbidity (e.g. secchi disc and transparency)

weather, rain and wind.

Environmental parameters may include:

activity of pests and predators

climatic conditions (e.g. rainfall, amount of cloud cover, and wind direction and speed)

contaminants

light:

conductivity

dissolved oxygen

pH

salinity

temperature

natural foods

tidal flow direction and speed

wave size and direction.

Basic equipment may include:

chemical test kits

electronic machines or meters to measure:

conductivity

dissolved oxygen

pH

salinity

temperature

litmus paper and pH test kit

measuring devices:

ruler

scales

volumetric

refractometer, density stick and hydrometer

sample jars or buckets

sampling nets

secchi disc

thermometer

water collector.

Calibrated may include:

adjustment of pH references or other settings for calibration and preparations of calibration solution for calibration of NO2 meter.

Basic repairs may include:

replacement of cables

replacement of probes.

Data or record sheets or books may include:

basic parameters to be measured

date and time

general observations

monitoring schedule

person's name and signature.

Monitoring site may include:

inlet or effluent water

on- or off-farm (samples taken for measurement in laboratory)

upstream/downstream of culture structure

within or external to culture structure.