Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

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 of the unit 

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.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

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.

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 AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

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 GUIDE 

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.

Unit sector 

Seafood processing

Co-requisite units 

Competency field