Description
Water-based aquaculture technicians coordinate and supervise activities on fattening aquaculture organisms in suspended systems (floating or submerged structures). They participate in extraction operations and handling organisms for commercialisation. Water-based aquaculture technicians supervise maintenance of equipment and facilities (cages, rafts, longlines, bouchot).
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to water-based aquaculture technician:
water-based fish farm technician
water-based fisheries technician
technician in water-based aquaculture
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.
Water-based aquaculture technician is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Water-based aquaculture technician career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to water-based aquaculture technician.
aquaculture husbandry technician
aquaculture harvesting technician
aquaculture cage technician
aquaculture husbandry worker
aquaculture hatchery technician
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of water-based aquaculture technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of water-based aquaculture technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
aquaculture site supervisor
aquaculture quality supervisor
aviation data communications manager
international forwarding operations coordinator
fisheries observer
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of water-based aquaculture technician.
- Fish grading: The method of how fish are graded according to their different characteristics: specification, size, quality and condition.
- 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.
- Rates of growth assessment: The different methods used to evaluate the growth of most important cultivated species.
- Aquaculture production planning software: The functioning principles and usage of a software dedicated to the planning of aquaculture production.
- Computerised feeding systems: The functioning of computer controlled systems that provide animal feeding.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of water-based aquaculture technician.
- Assess cage water quality: Analyse the quality of water by monitoring the state of temperature and oxygen, among other parameters.
- Observe fish disease symptoms: Observe and describe fish disease symptoms such as lesions.
- Carry out feeding operations: Carry out manual feeding. Calibrate and operate automatic and computerised feeding systems.
- Organise shellfish depuration: Plan and monitor the cleaning of impurities from shellfish.
- Observe abnormal fish behaviour: Observe, describe and monitor abnormal fish behaviour in respect of feeding, swimming, surfacing.
- 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.
- Preserve fish samples for diagnosis: Collect and preserve larval, fish and mollusc samples or lesions for diagnosis by fish disease specialists.
- 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.
- Apply fish treatments: Apply prescribed fish treatments under supervision, including assistance with vaccination immersion and injection procedures.
- Control aquatic production environment: Assess the impact of biological conditions such as algae and fouling organisms by managing water intakes, catchments and oxygen use.
- Check animal feeding behaviour: Check animal feeding behaviour.
- 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.
- 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.
- Prepare for small craft operation: Prepare for personnel operation of small craft, both with licence and without licence.
- Carry out maintenance of aquaculture equipment: Maintain aquaculture equipment and identify equipment needs. Carry out routine maintenance and minor repairs as needed.
- Swim: Move through water by means of the limbs.
- 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.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of water-based aquaculture 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 water-based aquaculture technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- 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.
- Use a computer: Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.
- Develop aquaculture strategies: Cultivate strategies for aquaculture plans based on reports and research in order to deal with specific fish farm issues. Plan and organise work activities in order to improve aquaculture production and tackle further problems.
- Report live online: Given an account of a situation in real-time via online technologies when covering important events, especially on national newspapers.
- Maintain incident reporting records: Keep a system to record details of unusual events that occur at the facility, such as job-related injuries.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Manage time in fishery operations: Ensure an efficient management of work schedules meant for fishery and aquaculture activities.
- Maintain diving equipment: Perform maintenance actions, including small repairs, on diving equipment.
- Work in inclement conditions: Work outdoors in hot or cold circumstances.
- Report pollution incidents: Examine the extent of the damage and consequences when an incident causes pollution, and report it to the relevant institution following pollution reporting 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.
- Report to the team leader: Keep the team leader informed on current and emerging issues.
- 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