Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves monitoring fish catches and fisheries quotas for legal compliance against standards for specific species that may include size, quantity and catching equipment.

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 

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. Monitor fish  catches for legal compliance

1.1. Catches are monitored for compliance with regulated limits  for species.

1.2. Fish catching devices  are monitored for compliance with regulated limits , procedures , and registration and license conditions .

1.3. Breaches of legislation  and regulations are identified and acted upon according to jurisdictional procedures.

1.4. Compliance monitoring activities are carried out according to accepted industry hygiene and sanitation practices.

1.5. All compliance monitoring activities are carried out in a manner that ensures the safety of personnel and equipment.

1.6. Compliance monitoring activities are recorded and reported according to jurisdictional procedures.

2. Monitor fisheries  quota compliance

2.1. Catch and catch disposal records are monitored for compliance with industry and regulated reporting procedures.

2.2. Actual weight of catch is compared to estimated weight of catch and variations greater than acceptable industry standard are investigated.

2.3. Actual number of fish in catch is compared to recorded numbers of fish and variations greater than accepted industry standards are investigated.

2.4. Compliance monitoring activities are recorded and reported according to organisation procedures.

3. Monitor market documentation for fish sales/purchases

3.1. Market documentation  matches purchase records and discrepancies are identified.

3.2. Sales documentation and business records comply with regulations.

3.3. Compliance monitoring activities are recorded and reported according to jurisdictional procedures.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• measuring fish and fish catches for legal compliance
• recognising fish species using taxonomic keys
• recognising fishing technologies used.

Literacy skills used for :

• reading and interpreting legislation and regulations
• recording information related to compliance monitoring.

Numeracy skills used for :

• counting and measuring fish and/or fishing devices
• undertaking basic auditing.

Required knowledge 

• fishing methods utilised by fishers in the region, including traditional fishing methods used by Indigenous communities
• identifying features of fishing species relevant to the region
• legislation and regulations relating to the commercial and recreational fishing industry, and Indigenous land rights
• regulations applying to fish processors
• regulations applying to fisheries quotas
• regulations relating to fish catches, net/fish catching devices, fishing methods and other related equipment for species being checked for compliance in the operative area.

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 t his unit 

Assessment must confirm ability to:

• monitor compliance of commercial and recreational fishers and fish processors, and to recognise fish species and types of nets/fish catching devices and methods used in the region in which compliance is likely to be monitored.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

• compliance regulations that apply to fisheries, fish processors and fish species in the region in which compliance is likely to be monitored.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Resources may include:

• copies of legislation and regulations
• fish species likely to be monitored for compliance
• measuring devices
• nets and fish catching devices and other equipment related to fish catching likely to be monitored for compliance.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are suggested:

• observation of practical 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.

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.

Fish  may include:

• fin fish, crustaceans, molluscs, marine mammals, plants, aquatic reptiles and amphibians.

Regulated limits  may include:

• bag or boat limits
• closed areas
• state, territory or commonwealth legislation
• length (e.g. minimum or maximum)
• protected species
• quota fisheries
• season
• time of year.

Fish catching devices  may include:

• buoys
• dredge (e.g. mussel and scallop)
• hand spear, bow and arrow, and spear gun
• nets (e.g. hand, dab, hoop, drop, mesh and hauling)
• pots (e.g. yabbie)
• rake (e.g. crab and cockle)
• rod and line
• traps (e.g. shrimp and rock lobster)
• teasers
• traditional fishing methods, tools or equipment:

• baited woven fishing lines with bone or metal hooks
• collection by hand
• constructed/manipulated water bodies for aquaculture
• free diving
• harpoons or spears
• modern equipment (e.g. powered vessels) may also be used for occupational health and safety (OHS), animal welfare and other considerations
• stick or brush hide traps
• wooden rafts or canoes
• wooden stick or rock fish traps
• woven nets, hoops, pots or traps.

Regulated limits , procedures , and registration and license conditions  may include:

• buoys:

• volume
• colour relevant to species

• the cleaning, scaling and gutting of fish
• combination and number of devices used
• gear dimensions
• location used
• maximum number
• mesh size (e.g. minimum and maximum)
• positioning of nets relative to other nets, and other features
• possession of measuring devices
• presence of device owner during designated times
• registration of nets/catching devices
• sale/trade from recreational catch
• tagging of gear:

• owner name and address
• tag dimensions

• use of berley
• use of teaser lines.

Legislation  can be:

• commonwealth and state/territory legislation related to fisheries and fisheries management.

Fisheries  is defined as a:

• natural fishing resource of a specific species in a given management area.

Market documentation  may include:

• business
• catch
• disposal.

Unit sector 

Fisheries compliance

Co-requisite units 

Competency field