Profession aquaculture husbandry technician

Aquaculture husbandry technicians operate in aquatic organisms' production, specialising in the husbandry of ongrowing culture processes, especially in feeding and stock management.

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • Rates of growth assessment

    The different methods used to evaluate the growth of most important cultivated species.

  • Fish grading

    The method of how fish are graded according to their different characteristics: specification, size, quality and condition.

  • Fish biology

    The study of fish, shellfish or crustacean organisms, categorized into many specialised fields that cover their morphology, physiology, anatomy, behaviour, origins and distribution.

  • Computerised feeding systems

    The functioning of computered controlled systems that provide animal feeding.

  • Aquaculture cultivation equipment

    Understand aquaculture cultivation equipment drawings and plans

  • Aquaculture production planning software

    The functioning principles and usage of a software dedicated to the planning of aquculture production.

Skills

  • 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.

  • Carry out standard aquaculture stock health operations

    Perform activities that ensure monitoring and implementation of aquaculture health standards and health analysis of the fish population.

  • Carry out maintenance of aquaculture equipment

    Maintain aquaculture equipment and identify equipment needs. Carry out routine maintenance and minor repairs as needed.

  • Monitor fish mortality rates

    Monitor fish mortalities and assess possible causes.

  • Measure the impact of specific aquaculture activity

    Identify and measure the biological, physico-chemical impacts of specific aquaculture farm activity on the environment. Carry out all necessary tests, including collection and processing of samples for analysis.

  • Apply fish treatments

    Apply prescribed fish treatments under supervision, including assistance with vaccination immersion and injection procedures.

  • Ensure cage safety requirements are followed

    Ensure that personnel comply with cage safety requirements.

  • Ensure aquaculture personnel health and safety

    Make sure that health and safety procedures have been established and followed across all aquaculture facilities including cages. Ensure that personnel and general public are instructed and all work activities are carried out according to relevant health and safety regulations.

  • Monitor water quality

    Measure water quality: temperature, oxygen, salinity, pH, N2, NO2,NH4, CO2, turbidity, chlorophyll. Monitor microbiological water quality.

  • Control aquatic production environment

    Assess the impact of biological conditions such as algae and fouling organisms by managing water intakes, catchments and oxygen use.

  • Apply standard feeding and nutrition protocols

    Make up feed on-site. Feed animals by hand or with feeding machines according to agreed protocols. Monitor animal feeding behaviour.

  • Preserve fish samples for diagnosis

    Collect and preserve larval, fish and mollusc samples or lesions for diagnosis by fish disease specialists.

  • Inspect aquaculture equipment

    Inspect aquaculture harvesting tools and machinery to ensure that they work properly.

  • Use aquaculture heavy equipment

    Perform manual operations such as manually lift, transfer position and set down a load. Operate lifting gear such as winch, sea crane, telescopic loader, and forklift.

  • Identify risks in aquaculture facilities

    Identify the hazards and evaluate the risks to health and safety in aquaculture facilities.

  • Swim

    Move through water by means of the limbs.

  • Assist with vaccination procedures

    Assist skilled professional with immersions and injection vaccination procedures.

  • Identity aquaculture species

    Identity major European farmed fish, shellfish and crustacean species.

  • Maintain technical equipment

    Maintain an inventory of cultivation equipment and supplies. Order additional materials as needed.

  • Operate small craft

    Operate small craft used for transport and feeding.

  • Calculate aquatic resources growth rate

    Calculate and forecast growth rates. Monitor and assess growth and biomass taking mortality into account, based on the different methods of growth assessment.

  • Implement fin fish feeding regimes

    Implement daily fin fish feeding regimes to take account of environmental variations. Check feeding regimes are followed through the accurate implementation of feeding procedures. Implement adjustments to feeding regimes to take account of fluctuations in production performance and variations in environmental conditions. Control specialist feeding regimes to support specified production requirements. Investigate changes in feeding behaviour to determine cause and required corrective action.

  • Rear food fish

    Spawn and rear food fish or exotic fish for commercial use.

  • Prepare for small craft operation

    Prepare for personnel operation of small craft, both with licence and without licence.

  • Control fish diseases

    Identify the symptoms of fish diseases. Apply appropriate measures to treat or eliminate diagnosed conditions.

  • Carry out preparations for fish disease specialist

    Prepare environment and equipment for fish disease specialist treatments, including vaccination treatments.

  • Monitor feeding behaviour

    Monitor feeding behaviour of farm animals. Collect information on the growth of the animals, and forecast future growth. Monitor and assess biomass taking mortality into account.

  • Ensure compliance with aquaculture standards

    Ensure that operations comply with standards for sustainable aquaculture.

  • Monitor feeding systems

    Make sure that feeders, feeding system and monitoring instruments are working. Analyse feedback from the instruments.

Optional knowledge and skills

make time-critical decisions collect dead fish work in inclement conditions provide training check diving equipment communicate in english in a competent way perform diving interventions escapee contingency plans maintain diving equipment provide on-site training in aquaculture facilities lead a team work in shifts implement contingency plans for escapees speak different languages communicate verbal instructions work in outdoor conditions communicate in an outdoor setting work as a team critique the dive with the dive team make independent operating decisions plan the work of teams and individuals

Source: Sisyphus ODB