Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves maintaining and preparing demersal fish or prawn trawls ready for deployment and retrieving the gear to the vessel. The unit also involves the initial aspects of seafood handling specific to trawling operations.

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 to a deckhand on a fishing trawler.

Repairing damaged netting is covered by SFIFISH210C Assemble and repair damaged netting.

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. Maintain trawls ready for deployment

1.1. Trawl  is checked  against established criteria  according to the vessel maintenance plan and supervisor's instructions.

1.2. Trawl components  which are defective are identified and either reconditioned  or replaced.

1.3. Replacement gear components are ordered.

1.4. Defective trawl components are disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.

2. Deploy trawls

2.1. Trawl components are connected in the configuration required by the fishing method according to instructions from a supervisor.

2.2. Machinery  to deploy the trawls from the vessel is used  according to supervisor's instructions.

2.3. Trawl is deployed to ensure it is not twisted or fouled.

2.4. Devices and systems are deployed to ensure operating efficiency and to reduce environmental impact and interaction with by-catch.

2.5. Trawl storage area is cleaned.

3. Retrieve trawls

3.1. Trawls are guided onto winches according to instructions from supervisor.

3.2. Ropes are hauled using capstans and Gilson winches according to supervisor's instructions.

3.3. Cod ends are controlled, emptied and retied according to instructions from supervisor.

3.4. Trawl is disconnected and stowed to ensure ease of deployment, the safety of crew and a safe working area.

4. Land, contain and sort the catch

4.1. Containment devices  are prepared  to receive the catch.

4.2. Catch is loaded into containment devices.

4.3. Catch is sorted  to maximise by-catch survival and seafood quality.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• assembling and dismantling connecting devices
• communicating with supervisor and crew
• repairing or replacing all worn trawl gear components (excluding damage to netting material)
• sorting catch to required specification
• stowing fishing gear
• techniques for loosening rusted components
• using machinery to deploy and retrieve fishing gear
• untwisting deployed gear.

Literacy skills used for :

• reading sizes of connecting gear

Numeracy skills used for :

• measuring length or diameter.

Required knowledge 

• basic operating principle of the fishing gear
• factors that make trawl components effective or defective
• order in which trawl gear components are connected and disconnected
• principles that contribute to:

• environmental and resource protection
• personal, seafood and vessel hygiene
• workplace safety
• vessel stability.

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:

• maintain and prepare demersal fish or prawn trawling gear ready for deployment, and to retrieve the gear to the vessel
• prepare, deploy and retrieve common trawl gear components
• sort and contain the catch
• handle and sort seafood with regard to food safety and hygiene, and food quality
• stowed safely, and in readiness for future deployment.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

• criteria for assessing the quality of gear components
• order in which trawl gear components are connected and disconnected
• principles of personal and vessel hygiene.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

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

Resources may include:

• fully operational fish or prawn trawler with catch suitable for sorting.

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.

Relevant government regulations , licensing and other compliance requirements  may include:

• biodiversity and genetically modified organisms
• biosecurity, translocation and quarantine
• Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) and other import requirements
• business or workplace operations, policies and practices
• correct marketing names and labelling
• ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• fisheries or aquaculture regulations, permits and licences
• food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody
• Indigenous land rights and cultural activities, including fishing by traditional methods
• health and welfare of aquatic animals
• maritime and occupational diving operations, 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
• 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 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.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures  may include:

• Australian Shellfish Sanitation program
• display, packaging and sale of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance
• exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders
• handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products
• HACCP and other risk minimisation systems
• location, construction and servicing of seafood premises
• people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements
• Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)
• processing, further processing and preparation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• product labelling, tracing and recall
• receipt, storage and transportation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code
• temperature and contamination control along chain of custody.

ESD principles  may include:

• applying animal welfare ethics and procedures
• controlling effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution
• controlling weeds, pests, predators and diseases, and stock health maintenance
• maintaining biodiversity by sustainable fisheries or broodstock/seedstock collection
• minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions
• reducing energy use
• reducing interactions with native and protected flora and fauna, marine or land parks or areas
• reducing live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment
• undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• undertaking facility quarantine, biosecurity and translocation of livestock and genetic material
• using and recycling of water, and maintaining water quality.

PPE  may include:

• buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD)
• gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering
• hard hat or protective head covering
• hearing protection (e.g. ear plugs and ear muffs)
• insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units
• non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
• personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
• protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
• protective hair, beard and boot covers
• protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions
• respirator or face mask
• 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).

Trawl  may mean:

• prawn trawls:

• banana prawn-type gear
• tiger prawn-type gear

• demersal fish trawls:

• otter board trawls
• Danish seines

• beam trawls.

Trawl is checked  for:

• by-catch reduction devices and lifting gear
• connecting devices for wear
• rips, holes and worn netting
• symmetry of:

• bridles
• foot ropes
• ground gear
• head ropes
• sweeps
• warps

• security of hangings for net and lashings for ground gear and floatation.

Criteria  may include:

• absence
• cracks
• distortion
• internal and external damage to wire and rope
• looseness
• wear limit.

Components  may include:

• by-catch reduction devices
• cod-end closures:

• chain knot (prawn nets)
• zipper
• hangman's knot
• Dutch clip

• connecting devices:

• shackles
• hammerlocks
• chain
• wires
• ropes
• Clevis pin connectors
• G, C, D and sister clips

• floatation devices
• ground gear
• hangings
• lifting gear
• netting material
• otter boards
• sweeps and bridles
• warps.

Reconditioned  may include:

• all components (except for the netting material)
• chain measured and replaced
• connecting devices inspected and replaced
• wire rope measured and re-spliced.

Machinery  may include:

• capstans
• lifting gear:

• hydraulically operated crane
• mast and boom
• block and tackle
• lazy line (Gilson) winches

• net
• net drums
• sounder winches
• warp winches.

Used  may include:

• fishing gear is connected to the machinery
• gear is guided onto machinery operated by other personnel
• machinery is operated under supervision.

Containment devices  may include:

• brine tanks:

• bulk
• net bags

• fish or prawn boxes:

• exchangeable market boxes
• freezing cartons
• wash boxes

• ice rooms
• pounded deck areas
• sorting trays.

Prepared  may include:

• boxes sufficient for sorting are arranged ergonomically
• brine tank hatches, net bags and hanging frame deployed
• cleaned
• disinfected
• exchangeable market boxes are accounted for
• freezer carton liners applied
• freezing cartons assembled.

Sorted  may include:

• as by-catch
• as seafood or bait for retention
• by legal length
• by sex:

• male or female
• sexual stage

• by size
• by species.

Unit sector 

Fishing operations

Co-requisite units 

Competency field