Establish procedures to support the collection of fisheries data

This standard concerns the establishment of procedures to support the collection of fisheries data relating to habitats and fish populations within a fishery. It includes the ability to identify appropriate methods for recording data, as well as techniques to support the analysis of the data collected.
The standard requires an understanding of the purpose of fish population data collection, for example, to describe population size, age structure, and condition.

It also requires work to be carried out safely, in line with relevant legal and health and safety requirements, and that bio‑security is maintained while minimising environmental disturbance at all times.

Relevant legislation controlling the application of this standard will vary depending on the location of the fishery, including England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland.

1. collate and analyse information from relevant sources to establish procedures in order to support the collection of fisheries data
2. establish procedures to monitor a fishery habitat, taking account of environmental conditions
3. establish sampling procedures to support the collection of representative data for a fish population
4. establish procedures for the collection of samples and data from individual fish
5. confirm that all procedures meet relevant health and safety, environmental, bio‑security and other legal requirements
6. communicate procedures to all those involved in the implementation
7. identify and establish the resources required to support the collection of fisheries data
8. identify techniques to be used by the organisation for the analysis of fisheries data
9. establish systems for reporting and recording fisheries data with appropriate quality assurance

1. the condition of a fishery in terms of its physical features, water quality and biological aspects
2. how to establish procedures to support the collection of fisheries data
3. the importance of confirming that procedures to support the collection of fisheries data are communicated to all those involved
4. the techniques available for the collection of habitat and fish data
5. standard organisational and fish data collection protocols and their role in fisheries data collection
6. the purpose of collecting fisheries data and how this impacts on the design of data collection
7. the methods for selecting a suitable survey site for collecting fisheries data
8. how to sample fish populations
9. fishing methods and their application in the collection of samples
10. how to collect samples and data from live and dead fish
11. the types of emergency situations, including pollution and fish health problems, that may affect a fishery and how they can be monitored
12. the types of data analysis techniques and the eventual use of fisheries data
13. how to establish systems for the recording of fisheries data, according to standard organisational protocols
14. relevant health and safety, environmental, bio‑security and legal requirements relating to the control of activities on a fishery