Description
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.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to aquaculture hatchery worker:
aquatic animals hatchery worker
fish farm hatchery worker
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 hatchery worker is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Aquaculture hatchery worker career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to aquaculture hatchery worker.
harvest diver
aquaculture husbandry worker
aquaculture rearing technician
rescue diver
aquaculture hatchery technician
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of aquaculture hatchery 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 hatchery worker with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
aquaculture site supervisor
underwater construction supervisor
education administrator
aeronautical information service officer
aviation data communications manager
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of aquaculture hatchery worker.
- 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 hatchery worker.
- Follow hygienic practices in fishery operations: Comply with the right regulations and practices for hygienically handling fishery related tasks and responsibilities in fishery operations.
- Use water disinfection equipment: Operate equipment for water disinfection, using different methods and techniques, such as mechanical filtration, depending on needs.
- Clean off fouling: Clean off fouling in aquaculture facilities.
- 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.
- Operate forklift: Operate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.
- 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.
- Maintain hatchery equipment: Make minor repairs to hatchery equipment as required.
- Cultivate plankton production: Cultivate phytoplankton and microalgae. Cultivate live prey such as rotifers or Artemia with advanced techniques.
- 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.
- Inspect fish eggs: Inspect fish eggs. Remove dead, unviable, and off-colour eggs using a suction syringe.
- Operate photoreactors: Operate photoreactors under supervision.
- 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.
- 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.
- Operate water-heating equipment: Operate water-heating equipment, such as electrical equipment, heat exchangers, heat pumps and solar heaters.
- 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.
- Collect fish samples for diagnosis: Collect fish and shellfish samples for diagnosis by fish diseases specialists.
- Maintain hatchery facilities: Make minor repairs to hatchery facilities as required.
- 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.
- Feed broodstock: Feed broodstock according to nutritional needs. This will initially include live prey such as rotifers and artemia.
- 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.
- 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.
- Operate hatchery trays: Fill hatchery trays with fertilised eggs and place trays in incubation troughs.
- 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.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of aquaculture hatchery worker. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Diving operation requirements: The operational plan and the contingency plan for the diving operation, the diving equipment to be used in the diving operation, the diving signals to be used in the diving operation, the in-water decompression procedures to be used in the diving operation, and any emergency procedures that might have to be used in the diving operation.
- Sanitation measures for aquaculture hatchery production: Standards of sanitation and cleanliness essential to effective control of fungi and other parasites under intensive culture conditions.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of aquaculture hatchery worker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Critique the dive with the dive team: Assess the dive with the dive team upon completion. Instruct the diver(s) so as to improve procedures and routines for future dives.
- Work in outdoor conditions: Can cope with the different climate conditions such as heat, rain, cold or in strong wind.
- Work in a fishery team: Work as part of a crew or team, and meet team deadlines and responsibilities together.
- Maintain internal communication systems: Maintain an effective internal communication system among employees and department managers.
- Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
- Operate pumps in aquaculture facilities: Operate pumps in aquaculture facilities, such as air lift pumps, live fish pumps, vacuum pumps, submersible pumps.
- 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.
- 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 the security measures to assure the divers security on the realisation of low deep immersions.
- Comply with legal requirements for diving operations: Ensure that diving operations comply with legal requirements.
- Maintain diving equipment: Perform maintenance actions, including small repairs, on diving equipment.
- Work in inclement conditions: Work outdoors in hot or cold circumstances.
- 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.
- Use oxygenation equipment: Operate different water oxygenation systems according to requirements: surface aerators, paddle wheel aerators, column/cascade aerators, and pure oxygenation systems.
- Communicate by telephone: Liaise via telephone by making and answering calls in a timely, professional and polite manner.
- Report to the team leader: Keep the team leader informed on current and emerging issues.
ISCO group and title
6221 – Aquaculture workers
References
- Aquaculture hatchery worker – ESCO