Profession aquaculture hatchery worker

Aquaculture hatchery workers are active in the production of aquatic organisms in land-based hatchery processes. They assist in the process of raising organisms throughout the early stages of their life cycle and the release of organisms when necessary.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Realistic
• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Biosecurity

  Be aware of the general principles of the concept of bio-security and in particular, the disease prevention rules to be implemented in case of epidemics endangering public health.

Skills

• Condition broodstock

  Incubate eggs until hatching. Assess quality of eggs. Inspect fish eggs. Remove dead, unviable, and off-colour eggs using a suction syringe. Produce eyed eggs. Hatch and maintain new-born larvae.

• Monitor larval development

  Observe appearance and actions of larvae in order to detect diseases; administer correct medication dose to food and water as instructed by supervisor.

• Feed broodstock

  Feed broodstock according to nutritional needs. This will initially include live prey such as rotifers and artemia.

• Carry out hatchery production processes

  Collect naturally spawned fish eggs, eliminate egg adhesiveness, incubate eggs until hatching, hatch and maintain newly born larvae, monitor larvae status, carry out early feeding and rearing techniques of the cultured species.

• Operate forklift

  Operate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.

• Carry out fish transportation

  Can manually lift, transfer, position and set down a load, using lifting gears such as forklifts, winches, sea cranes and others. Can operate equipment used in the transportation of fish, shellfish, crustaceans and others, such as trucks, tractors, trailers, conveyers, etc.

• Use water disinfection equipment

  Operate equipment for water disinfection, using different methods and techniques, such as mechanical filtration, depending on needs.

• Inspect fish eggs

  Inspect fish eggs. Remove dead, unviable, and off-colour eggs using a suction syringe.

• Work in shifts

  Work in rotating shifts, where the goal is to keep a service or production line running around the clock and each day of the week.

• Maintain hatchery facilities

  Make minor repairs to hatchery facilities as required.

• Culture aquaculture hatchery stocks

  Use appropriate implements to collect shellfish spat. Sort wild shellfish spat. Collect naturally spawned fish eggs; eliminate egg adhesiveness and incubate eggs until hatched. Handle fish and shellfish broodstock and feed according to their needs.

• Clean off fouling

  Clean off fouling in aquaculture facilities.

• Maintain aquaculture water quality in hatcheries

  Measure flow of water in tanks and natural freshwater bodies. Measure parameters of water quality, such as pH, temperature, oxygen, salinity, CO2, N2, NO2, NH4, turbidity, and chlorophyll.

• Follow safety precautions in fishery operations

  Comply with policies and institutional regulations to guarantee a safe workplace for employees in fishery and aquaculture operations. Deal with potential risks and dangers by taking appropriate safety measures.

• Operate water-heating equipment

  Operate water-heating equipment, such as electrical equipment, heat exchangers, heat pumps and solar heaters.

• Cultivate plankton production

  Cultivate phytoplankton and microalgae. Cultivate live prey such as rotifers or Artemia with advanced techniques.

• Follow hygienic practices in fishery operations

  Comply with the right regulations and practices for hygienically handling fishery related tasks and responsibilities in fishery operations.

• Operate hatchery trays

  Fill hatchery trays with fertilised eggs and place trays in incubation troughs.

• Collect fish samples for diagnosis

  Collect fish and shellfish samples for diagnosis by fish diseases specialists.

• Identity aquaculture species

  Identity major European farmed fish, shellfish and crustacean species.

• Operate photoreactors

  Operate photoreactors under supervision.

• Collect broodstock

  Collect larvae or juveniles from environment, using appropriate techniques for the specific species i.e. fish, molluscs, crustaceans or new candidates for aquaculture.

• Maintain hatchery equipment

  Make minor repairs to hatchery equipment as required.

• Perform fish grading operations

  Gather live fish using techniques which minimise the stress caused to fish and avoid fish escapes occurring. Grade them manually or using equipment. Report on the grading operation, ensuring compliance with specifications.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB