Aquaculture cage mooring worker

Aquaculture cage mooring workers operate highly-specialised equipment in order to moor cages in stable stations, drifting cages or even self-propelled and semi-submerged cages. 

The following job titles also refer to aquaculture cage mooring worker:

fish farm cage mooring worker
workers in aquaculture cage mooring
fisheries cage mooring worker
fish cage mooring worker
workers in fishery cage mooring

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as aquaculture cage mooring worker. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Aquaculture cage mooring worker is a Skill level 1 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to aquaculture cage mooring worker.

water-based aquaculture worker
aquaculture harvesting worker
on foot aquatic resources collector
room attendant
distribution centre dispatcher

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of aquaculture cage mooring worker. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of aquaculture cage mooring worker with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

aquaculture cage technician
aquaculture harvesting technician
aquaculture husbandry technician
water-based aquaculture technician
harvest diver

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of aquaculture cage mooring worker.

• Health and safety in the workplace: The body of rules, procedures and regulations related to safety, health and welfare of people in their workplace. 
• Health and safety measures in transportation: The body of rules, procedures and regulations related to health and safety measures intended to prevent accidents or incidents in transportation.
• Rope manipulation: Rope manipulation which relates to knotting and splicing.
• Maritime meteorology: The scientific field of study that interprets meteorological information and applies it to ensure the safety of marine traffic.
• Global Maritime Distress and Safety System: The internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, types of equipment and communication protocols used to increase safety and make it easier to rescue distressed ships, boats and aircraft.
• Health and safety regulations: Necessary health, safety, hygiene and environmental standards and legislation rules in the sector of particular activity.

These skills are necessary for the role of aquaculture cage mooring worker.

• Handle fish harvesting waste: Dispose of waste, blood and inferior quality fish according to site waste management procedures.
• Assess cage water quality: Analyse the quality of water by monitoring the state of temperature and oxygen, among other parameters.
• Collect dead fish: Gather dead fish in recipients like tanks and cages.
• Stock fish into holding units: Place fish into holding units. Maintain adequate environmental conditions within the unit.
• Use water navigation devices: Utilise water navigation devices, e.g. compass or sextant, or navigational aids such as lighthouses or buoys, radar, satellite, and computer systems, in order to navigate vessels on waterways. Work with recent charts/maps, notices, and publications in order to determine the precise position of a vessel.
• Maintain aquaculture cage equipment: Ensure maintenance of aquaculture cage equipment, by carrying out tasks such as cleaning floats and arranging ropes in cages.
• Prepare fish treatment facilities: Prepare fish treatment facilities to effectively isolate contaminated fish during treatment. Control the application of treatments to avoid contaminating other stock, containers and the wider environment.
• Operate emergency equipment: Utilise emergency equipment and tools such as fire extinguishers, wheel chocks, pocket lamps, and warning signs.
• 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.
• Communicate using the global maritime distress and safety system: Send an alert in case of distress, using any of the various GMDSS radio systems such that the alert has a very high probability of being received by either shore rescue authorities and/or other vessels in the area.
• Collect growth rate information: Collect information on growth rate in farm aquatic species.
• Prepare fishing equipment: Dispose fishing gear and ship’s deck for successful extraction activities. Coordinate the crew in this operation.
• Collect live fish: Gather fish using techniques which minimise the stress caused to fish and avoid fish escapes occurring.
• Clean the cage: Efficiently clean the cage and perform dead fish removal from surface.
• Collect aquatic resources: Collects spat and seaweed, as well as shellfish or any other aquatic animal (i.e. crustacean and echinoderms) or vegetable resource. Uses the appropriate equipment depending on the species.
• Keep time accurately: Measure the passage of time, often with the assistance of a clock or stopwatch.
• Make time-critical decisions: Pursue optimal time-critical decision making within the organisation.
• Prepare fish harvesting equipment: Prepare fish harvesting equipment and facilities for the efficient slaughter of the fish and subsequent storage.
• Transfer fish: Transfer fully grown fish to a body of water, using a tank truck.
• Conduct water navigation: Ensure that a vessel carries up to date and adequate charts and appropriate nautical documents. Lead the process of preparing the voyage report, the vessel passage plan, daily position reports, and the pilot’s information sheet.
• Manage cage nets: Execute cleaning, drying and storage of removed cage nets.
• Operate small craft: Operate small craft used for transport and feeding.
• Prepare fish holding units: Clean the holding unit before receiving fish. Determine the water volume and flow rate. Prevent leaks. Conduct swim through.
• Conduct on board safety inspections: Conduct on board safety inspections; identify and remove potential threats to the physical integrity of the ship crew.
• 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.
• Prepare for small craft operation: Prepare for personnel operation of small craft, both with licence and without licence.
• Have a high level of safety awareness: Ensure high levels of safety awareness; use personal protection equipment; communicate with staff members and provide advice on health and safety issues.
• Collect fish samples for diagnosis: Collect fish and shellfish samples for diagnosis by fish diseases specialists.
• Maintain nets: Perform cage net changing and bird net repairing.
• Assist cage net changing: Assist in cage net changing and bird net repairing.
• Perform lookout duties during maritime operations: Maintain a watch during maritime operations, in order to anticipate events and potential hazards.
• Collect biological data: Collect biological specimens, record and summarise biological data for use in technical studies, developing environmental management plans and biological products.
• 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.
• Swim: Move through water by means of the limbs.
• Follow procedures in the event of an alarm: Follow safety procedures in the event of an alarm; act according to company instructions and procedures.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of aquaculture cage mooring worker. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Fish grading: The method of how fish are graded according to their different characteristics: specification, size, quality and condition.
• Fish identification and classification: The processes which allow the identification and classification of fish.
• 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.
• Fish welfare regulations: The set of rules that apply in fish harvesting methods which ensure fish well-being.
• Fish anatomy: The study of the form or morphology of fish species.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of aquaculture cage mooring worker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Identify support mechanisms to develop your professional practice: Identify sources of support to develop your professional practice. Stay aware of current trends in funding that could support you to finance your professional development.
• Work in a fishery team: Work as part of a crew or team, and meet team deadlines and responsibilities together.
• 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.
• Undertake continuous professional development in fishery operations: Initiate and progress in life long learning of the different challenging activities and operations which take place on board of a fishing vessel or in an aquaculture facility.
• Manage spat collection equipment: Assemble spat collection equipment to be deployed at sea. Deploy the spat collection equipment to maximise the yield and maintain it in working order.
• Perform diving interventions: Perform hyperbaric interventions at a maximum pressure of 4 atmospheres. Prepare and review the personal equipment and the auxiliary material. Perform and supervise the dive. Realise maintenance of the diving equipment and auxiliary material. Apply security measures to ensure the divers’ safety when realising deep immersions.
• Monitor treated fish: Monitor treated fish to evaluate the effect of treatments.
• Apply fish treatments: Apply prescribed fish treatments under supervision, including assistance with vaccination immersion and injection procedures.
• Manage personal professional development: Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders. Pursue a cycle of self-improvement and develop credible career plans.
• Maintain diving equipment: Perform maintenance actions, including small repairs, on diving equipment.
• Harvest aquatic resources: Grade fish, molluscs, crustaceans manually and using equipment in preparation for harvesting. Harvest shellfish for human consumption. Harvest live fish for live transport. Harvest all species in a humane manner. Handle harvested fish in a manner which maintains flesh quality.
• Identify common aquatic species diseases: Identify common aquatic species diseases. Observe and describe common symptoms nd lesions.
• Check diving equipment: Check diving equipment for valid certification to ensure its suitability. Ensure that any diving equipment is examined by a competent person before use, at least once on each day on which it is to be used. Ensure that it is adequately tested and repaired.
• Report to the team leader: Keep the team leader informed on current and emerging issues.

9216 – Fishery and aquaculture labourers

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References

1. ESCO