Description
Aquaculture harvesting technicians operate the harvesting process of aquatic organisms’ production, managing the complex equipment and machinery used in the harvesting of specific cultured species.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to aquaculture harvesting technician:
aquaculture harvesting inspector
marine harvesting inspector
fish farm harvesting technician
fisheries harvesting technician
technician in aquaculture harvesting
water harvesting inspector
harvest technician
aquatic harvester
aquaculture harvest technician
marine harvesting manager
aquatic harvester operator
water harvesting operative
harvesting technician
ISCO skill level
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 harvesting technician is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Aquaculture harvesting technician career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to aquaculture harvesting technician.
water-based aquaculture technician
aquaculture cage technician
aquaculture husbandry technician
aquaculture mooring manager
aquaculture husbandry worker
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of aquaculture harvesting technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of aquaculture harvesting technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
aquaculture site supervisor
fisheries observer
aquaculture quality supervisor
venue programmer
fisheries refrigeration engineer
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of aquaculture harvesting technician.
- Fish harvesting methods: Knowledge of up-to-date fish harvesting methods.
- 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.
- Fighting fires at aquaculture facilities: The methods and equipment required to extinguish fires occurring in aquaculture settings.
- Fire-fighting systems: The devices and systems used to extinguish fires; the classes and chemistry of fire.
- 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.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of aquaculture harvesting technician.
- Handle fish harvesting waste: Dispose of waste, blood and inferior quality fish according to site waste management procedures.
- Collect dead fish: Gather dead fish in recipients like tanks and cages.
- Monitor fish mortality rates: Monitor fish mortalities and assess possible causes.
- Apply fish harvest methods: Apply fish harvest methods effectively and in a manner which minimises the stress caused to fish. Slaughter the fish in a humane manner.
- Report harvested fish production: Observe and report fish harvest and variations from expected harvest quota.
- Maintain grading equipment: Set up equipment and areas to effectively grade fish according to requirements. Maintain the equipment in a serviceable condition throughout the grading process. Clean and store the equipment after use.
- Ensure compliance with aquaculture standards: Ensure that operations comply with standards for sustainable aquaculture.
- Set up fish harvesting equipment: Set up fish harvesting equipment for the efficient slaughter of the fish and subsequent storage.
- Monitor fish health status: Monitor the health of fish, based on feeding and general behaviour. Interpret environmental parameters and analyse mortalities.
- 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.
- Extinguish fires: Choose the adequate substances and methods to extinguish fires depending on their size, such as water and various chemical agents. Use a breathing apparatus.
- Observe abnormal fish behaviour: Observe, describe and monitor abnormal fish behaviour in respect of feeding, swimming, surfacing.
- Estimate harvest costs: Reasonably estimate harvest equipment needed, provide accurate harvest estimates and work within assigned budgets.
- 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.
- Identity aquaculture species: Identity major European farmed fish, shellfish and crustacean species.
- 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.
- Operate fish capture equipment: Operate fish capture equipment, for grading, sampling or harvesting purposes.
- Prepare health documentation: Prepare health documents for the dispatch of fish, molluscs, crustaceans or others.
- Prepare aquatic animals for harvesting: Grade fish, molluscs, crustaceans manually and using equipment in preparation for harvesting.
- Carry out fish disease prevention measures: Carry out disease prevention measures for fish, molluscs, and crustaceans for land-based and water-based aquaculture facilities.
- 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.
- Prepare fish harvesting equipment: Prepare fish harvesting equipment and facilities for the efficient slaughter of the fish and subsequent storage.
- Control aquatic production environment: Assess the impact of biological conditions such as algae and fouling organisms by managing water intakes, catchments and oxygen use.
- Monitor live fish collection: Monitor conditions during gathering of live fish, including stress in the fish.
- Carry out preparations for fish disease specialist: Prepare environment and equipment for fish disease specialist treatments, including vaccination treatments.
- Operate small craft: Operate small craft used for transport and feeding.
- Maintain fish harvesting equipment: Clean and store fish harvesting equipment after use.
- Harvest aquatic resources: Grade fish, molluscs, crustaceans manually and use 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.
- Prepare for small craft operation: Prepare for personnel operation of small craft, both with licence and without licence.
- Handle harvested fish: Handle harvested fish in a manner which maintains flesh quality. Effectively store fish in chilled storage.
- Swim: Move through water by means of the limbs.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of aquaculture harvesting technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Fish anatomy: The study of the form or morphology of fish species.
- Incidents and accidents recording: The methods to report and record incidents and accidents in the workplace.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of aquaculture harvesting technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
- Work in outdoor conditions: Can cope with the different climate conditions such as heat, rain, cold or in strong wind.
- Communicate verbal instructions: Communicate transparent instructions. Ensure that messages are understood and followed correctly.
- Lead a team: Lead, supervise and motivate a group of people, in order to meet the expected results within a given timeline and with the foreseen resources in mind.
- Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
- Maintain internal communication systems: Maintain an effective internal communication system among employees and department managers.
- Plan the work of teams and individuals: Plan the work of teams and individuals. Assess the work of teams and individuals. Provide feedback to teams and individuals on work carried out. Support and mentor individuals and teams. Prepare work instructions for new tasks.
- Collect growth rate information: Collect information on growth rate in farm aquatic species.
- Communicate in an outdoor setting: Communicate with participants in more than one language of the European Union; handle a crisis following guidelines and recognise the importance of proper behaviour in crisis situations.
- Use communication devices: Operate communication devices in order to interact with customers, colleagues, and others.
- Screen live fish deformities: Screen for deformities in live fish including larvae
- Work in inclement conditions: Work outdoors in hot or cold circumstances.
- 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.
- Communicate by telephone: Liaise via telephone by making and answering calls in a timely, professional and polite manner.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Communicate in English in a competent way: Competent use of English; R351refers to level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
ISCO group and title
6221 – Aquaculture workers
References