Licences

The Seafood Industry Training Package and Licences

People working in the fishing and in some cases the aquaculture sectors of the seafood industry may be required to hold a current certificate of competency or licence to operate and/or maintain certain classes of small vessels.

The units of competency which lead to these licences are included in the Seafood Industry Training Package (SITP). The licences are:

• Coxswain
  
• Skipper 3
  
• Skipper 2
  
• Marine Engine Driver Class 2
  
• Marine Engine Driver Class 1

The units leading to each of these licences are included in the Certificate III and IV in the Seafood Industry (Fishing Operations) qualifications in the SITP. Units that lead to the coxswain are also included in the Certificate III in the Seafood Industry (Aquaculture).

Units leading to a licence have the following features:

• They are offered as elective units in the respective vocational qualifications; that is, they do not qualify a learner for a vocational qualification by themselves
  
• RTOs cannot issue certificates of competency for vessel operations or maintenance - that remains the jurisdiction of state and territory regulatory authorities.
• In September 2002, the National Marine Safety Committee replaced the USL code Sections 2 and 3 with Part D of the National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV Part D) as the basis for issuing licences for vessel operations and maintenance.  Changes in licensing requirements are minor; however, units of competency in the SITP covering vessel operations are being revisited as part of a major project to review the Training Package during 2003. As with the current units of competency, the resultant competencies will satisfy regulatory requirements.

Learning support materials consisting of learners guides, assessment plans and a vessel operations training logbook are available from ATP by phoning +61 3 9655-0600. Alternatively, look at the Resource Generator website to view and download these resources which address units of competency leading to the various certificates of competency.