Profession aquaculture recirculation technician

Aquaculture recirculation technicians operate and control the production processes of aquatic organisms in land-based recirculation systems, which utilise water re-use processes and the operation of pumping, aerating, heating, lighting and biofilter equipment as well as backup power systems.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Realistic
• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Recirculation systems

  The characteristics and functioning of complex circulation, aeration and biofilter systems.

• 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.

• Assessment of risks and threats

  The security documentation and any security-related communications and information.

• Fish welfare regulations

  The set of rules that apply in fish harvesting methods which ensure fish well-being.

• Water reuse

  Principles of water re-use processes in complex circulation systems.

• Animal welfare legislation

  The legal boundaries, codes of professional conduct, national and EU regulatory frameworks and legal procedures of working with animals and living organisms, ensuring their welfare and health.

• Water chemistry analysis

  Principles of complex water chemistry.

• Aquatic resources biosecurity

  The principles underlying the concept of biosecurity in relation to the cultivation of aquatic resources as cash crops.

Skills

• Operate hatchery recirculation system

  Efficiently operate a hatchery recirculation system for specified aquatic organisms

• Identify risks in aquaculture facilities

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

• Perform water chemistry analysis

  Perform water chemistry analysis

• Monitor growth rates of cultivated fish species

  Monitor and assess growth rates and biomass of cultivated fish species, taking mortalities into account. Calculate and forecast growth rates. Monitor and assess mortalities.

• Interpret scientific data to assess water quality

  Analyse and interpret data like biological properties to know the quality of water.

• Monitor fish mortality rates

  Monitor fish mortalities and assess possible causes.

• Control fish diseases

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

• Preserve fish samples for diagnosis

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

• Monitor water quality

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

• Draw up risk assessment

  Assess risks, propose improvements and describe measures to be taken at the organisational level.

• Use IT tools

  Application of computers, computer networks and other information technologies and equipment to storing, retrieving, transmitting and manipulating data, in the context of a business or enterprise.

• 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.

• Apply fish treatments

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

• 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.

• Work as a team

  To recognize the importance of team work, building and maintaining effective working relationships with all colleagues and within the business.

• Monitor fish health status

  Monitor the health of fish, based on feeding and general behaviour. Interpret environmental parameters and analyse mortalities.

• Maintain specified water characteristics

  Turn valves and place baffles in troughs to adjust the volume, depth, discharge, and temperature of water as specified.

• Operate control systems

  Configure and operate electrical, electronic and control equipment.

• 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.

• Write work-related reports

  Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.

• Make time-critical decisions

  Pursue optimal time-critical decision making within the organisation.

• Maintain recirculation systems

  Monitor and maintain water circulation within holding units. Monitor the condition of the water filtering and purification equipment.

• Participate in the organisation of emergency drills

  Participate in preparing and executing emergency drills. Take charge of on-scene response actions. Help ensure that written drill reports are logged properly. Make sure that all personnel adhere to pre-planned emergency procedures as carefully as possible in the event of an emergency situation.

• Carry out fish disease prevention measures

  Carry out disease prevention measures for fish, molluscs, and crustaceans for land-based and water-based aquaculture facilities.

• Collect biological data

  Collect biological specimens, record and summarise biological data for use in technical studies, developing environmental management plans and biological products.

• Measure water quality parameters

  Quality assure water by taking into consideration various elements, such as temperature.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB