Gut and clean fish by hand
Overview
This standard is about gutting fish by hand. It details the skills and knowledge required to set-up, gut and wash fish by hand. It is also about working to organisational product specifications and production schedules.
You must be able to prepare to gut and wash fish. You must also be able to gut and wash fish by hand. You must also be able to finish hand gutting and washing. You must also know how to address problems and adhere to regulatory standards and standard operating procedures and be able to apply your skills and knowledge within food safety and health and safety regulations and any relevant international industry codes. You should also have an understanding of how the green circular economy supports repeated use of resources and products within your organisation.
This standard is for you if you work in the fish industry and are involved in the gutting and cleaning of fish by hand.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- gut and wash fish according to organisational standards
- confirm process specification
- prepare and maintain work station throughout the process
- obtain tools and equipment required to support the gutting operation, including hygiene and personal protective equipment
- sharpen knife or knives into a condition suitable for achieving the required production specification and according to organisational procedures
- obtain fish to meet required process specification
- confirm availability of clean potable water
- split fish and remove contents of gut cavity
- wash and clean gut cavity
- achieve required rate of production
- handle and store fish in a manner which maintains quality and condition
- make sure the product is transferred to the next stage in the manufacturing operation according to organisational requirements
- dispose of waste material according to organisational procedures
- deal with materials that can be recycled or reworked
- complete records according to organisational requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- what the organisational standards are and what may happen if they are not followed
- the hygiene and personal protective clothing that is required to support hand processing
- the tools and equipment required to support gutting and cleaning
- why it is important to use potable water to clean fish
- how to sharpen, maintain and store knives
- how to obtain and interpret the relevant process specification
- how to prepare and maintain work stations in a condition suitable for hand processing
- how to gut and wash fish to remove all internal organs
- how to assess the quality of whole and gutted clean fish
- expected yields from gutting process
- product control and traceability during gutting operations
- how to deal with fish that are not fit for use
- common quality problems associated with gutting and cleaning and their likely causes
- what action to take when the process specification is not met
- what parts of the processed fish can be recycled or reworked
- how to dispose of waste and why it is important to do so according to organisational procedures and regulatory requirements
- the limits of your own authority and competence and why it is important to work within those limits
- what recording, reporting and communication is needed, how to carry this out and the reasons why it is important to do so