Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework 

Program Title:	Aquaculture Technology
Career Cluster:	Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

College Credit Certificate	
CIP Number	0101030302	
Program Type	College Credit Certificate (CCC)	
Program Length	26 credit hours	
CTSO	N/A	
SOC Codes (all applicable) 	For program SOC codes, please see the Program and Course Tables section of the CTE Program Resources page linked below.	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml	

Purpose

This certificate program is part of the Aquaculture Management AS degree program (1101030301).  

A College Credit Certificate consists of a program of instruction of less than sixty (60) credits of college-level courses, which is part of an AS or AAS degree program and prepares students for entry into employment (Rule 6A-14.030, F.A.C.).

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of the aquaculture industry within the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career cluster. 

The content includes but is not limited to instruction in ichthyology, fish breeding, fish nutrition, pond maintenance, diagnosis and treatment of diseases in fish, business management of a fish farm, and field experience necessary to operate an aquaculture operation.

Additional Information relevant to this Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is provided at the end of this document.

Program Structure    

This program is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of 26 credit hours.

When developing the course sequence for the local implementation of this program, select courses that:
•	Meet the skill development requirements of the standards and benchmarks of this program.
•	Where reasonable and practicable, align with programs offered by your institution or other postsecondary institutions in Florida, including: 
o	Related AS and AAS degrees.
o	Baccalaureate degrees within the same career pathway and/or Federal CIP code.

Visit FloridaShines’ Discover Programs website to identify other institutions that offer similar programs to review their course sequencing. Where appropriate, course alignment between institutions offering related programs can facilitate interagency student articulation.

Visit FloridaShines’ Common Prerequisites Manual to identify courses that are prerequisites for admission into an upper division program.  When sub-baccalaureate courses are aligned to the course admissions requirements of baccalaureate programs with the same career pathway, students can enter upper division coursework seamlessly.   

Florida’s Career Readiness Skills for CTE Programs

Employability Skills	
01.0	Apply academic skills to workplace scenarios.	
01.01	Use reading skills.	
01.02	Use writing skills.	
01.03	Use mathematical strategies and procedures.	
01.04	Use scientific principles and procedures.	
02.0	Design a solution to an industry problem.	
02.01	Use critical thinking.	
02.02	Use creativity.	
02.03	Make sound decisions.	
02.04	Solve problems.	
02.05	Reason. 	
02.06	Plan and organize.	
03.0	Manage resources within an industry project	
03.01	Manage time.	
03.02	Manage money or resources.	
03.03	Manage materials.	
03.04	Manage personnel.	
04.0	Oversee the subcomponents, operations and output of a technical or organizational system.	
04.01	Manage systems.	
04.02	Monitor systems.	
04.03	Improve systems.	
05.0	Use information for decision making.	
05.01	Locate information.	
05.02	Organize information.	
05.03	Use information.	
05.04	Analyze information.	
05.05	Communicate information.	
06.0	Apply relevant technology to workplace scenarios to aid productivity.	
06.01	Use technology.	
07.0	Interpret and express interpersonal communication.	
07.01	Communicate verbally.	
07.02	Listen actively.	
07.03	Comprehend written material.	
07.04	Convey information in writing.	
07.05	Communicate nonverbally.	
07.06	Interpret nonverbal communication.	
08.0	Interact with others to accomplish workplace goals.	
08.01	Collaborate with others in a team.	
08.02	Respond to customer needs.	
08.03	Exercise leadership.	
08.04	Negotiate to resolve conflict.	
08.05	Respect others.	
09.0	Manage personal behavior to maximize productivity and professional growth.	
09.01	Demonstrate responsibility and self-discipline.	
09.02	Adapt and show flexibility.	
09.03	Work independently.	
09.04	Demonstrate a willingness to learn.	
09.05	Demonstrate integrity.	
09.06	Demonstrate professionalism.	
09.07	Take initiative.	
09.08	Display positive attitude.	
09.09	Take responsibility for professional growth.	
Job Attainment	
10.0	Find, assess and apply to job opportunities.	
10.01	Identify online job posts relevant to his or her career aspirations.	
10.02	Compare and contrast the job posts’ required qualifications, job duties, compensation, benefits and employers. 	
10.03	Define what information, documentation and writing prompts are required for the positions.	
11.0	Communicate personal competence, character and fit for a job opportunity.	
11.01	Develop a resume.	
11.02	Write a cover letter.	
11.03	Curate a professional portfolio that includes work products.	
11.04	Prepare for and experience a mock job interview.	
12.0	Cultivate and leverage relationships to professionally advance.	
12.01	Request a signed reference letter, letter of recommendation and/or an online skill/professionalism endorsement. 	
12.02	Develop a plan to cultivate a professional digital footprint.	
12.03	Develop a networking plan for a specific industry of interest.	

Standards

After successfully completing this program, the student will be able to perform the following:

01.0	Identify important aquaculture plants and animals and describe their culture in various production units.
02.0	Perform general aquaculture production unit operations.
03.0	Determine methods of fish identification.
04.0	Demonstrate an understanding of water quality and aquaculture.
05.0	Maintain optimal nutrition for aquaculture organisms.
06.0	Diagnose and control common aquaculture maladies.
07.0	Operate and maintain aquaculture equipment.
08.0	Assist in the maturation, spawning, larval and juvenile rearing of aquaculture organisms.
09.0	Perform general aquaculture nursery systems operations.

Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Program Title:	Aquaculture Technology
CIP Number:	0101030302
Program Length:	26 credit hours

This certificate program is part of the Aquaculture Management AS degree program (1101030301). At the completion of this program, the student will be able to:	
01.0	Identify important aquaculture plants and animals and describe their culture in various production units. The student will be able to:	
01.01	Define aquaculture and describe the historical important of aquaculture to local, state, national and international economies.	
01.02	List occupations in aquaculture production, processing, distribution, marketing, and service.	
01.03	Identify important aquatic species and products produced by aquatic farmers in Florida, U. S., and foreign countries.	
01.04	List the types of production units and systems employed by aquaculturist in Florida, U. S. and foreign countries.	
01.05	Outline basic techniques for constructing ponds, tanks, raceways, net pens and cages.	
01.06	Describe basic production techniques for the culture of plants, mollusks, crustaceans, and finfish.	
01.07	List and describe the major factors in growth of aquaculture species.	
01.08	List important criteria in selecting a site for an aquaculture farm.	
01.09	Describe natural fisheries and aquaculture production trends.	
02.0	Perform general aquaculture production unit operations. The student will be able to:	
02.01	Identify and describe the general anatomy, biology and life cycles for aquaculture species studied in this program.	
02.02	Identify and describe the general morphology of aquatic macro and microalgae. 	
02.03	List methods to help determine aquatic animal health and behavior for various aquaculture production units.	
02.04	List techniques for routine maintenance of aquaculture ponds, cage culture systems, and submerged lands.	
02.05	Identify common aquaculture predators and list predator control techniques	
02.06	Record production data such as water quality parameters, feed amounts, mortality and other routine information required for a specific operation on data sheets and enter into a computer.	
03.0	Determine methods of fish identification. The student will be able to:	
03.01	Identify the major families of fish.	
03.02	Describe the complexities of fish anatomy for the following systems:
•	Skeletal systems
•	Musculature
•	Nervous system
•	Vascular system
•	Respiratory system
•	Urogenital system
•	Digestive system
•	Reproductive system	
03.03	Identify the major anatomical fish structures.	
03.04	Describe the physiological characteristics of fish for the following:
•	Color
•	Bioluminescence
•	Sound production
•	Sensory systems
•	Osmoregulation	
03.05	Classify fish.	
03.06	Describe the aquatic environment.	
03.07	Discuss the basics of fish behavior.	
03.08	Identify the muscles of a fish.	
03.09	Measure the physical characteristics of fish.	
04.0	Demonstrate an understanding of water quality and aquaculture. The student will be able to:	
04.01	Define environmental variables and list ranges important for survival and growth of important aquaculture species.	
04.02	Demonstrate an understanding of aquifers, water quantity and management, and agricultural water use in Florida.	
04.03	Identify water quality measurements necessary for accurately culturing aquaculture organisms.	
04.04	Measure water quality parameters in aquaculture production units, record data in logs and computers, and interpret results.	
04.05	Describe the nitrogen cycle and identify system equipment and/or processes which reduce nitrogenous wastes.	
04.06	Discuss the importance of oxygen to the maintenance of production units and aquatic animal health and the effect of temperature on oxygen concentration.	
04.07	Describe processes in aquaculture production units that effect pH, alkalinity, carbon dioxide, oxygen, ammonia, and other environmental parameters.	
04.08	Measure primary productivity and discuss its importance in various aquaculture production units.	
04.09	Calculate water volumes for various sizes of aquaculture production units.	
04.10	List potential sources of aquaculture pollution and describe methods of preventing or abating these problems.	
04.11	Identify Best Management Practices for treating waste water from various aquaculture production units.	
05.0	Maintain optimal nutrition for aquaculture organisms. The student will be able to:	
05.01	Explain the digestive anatomy of fish.	
05.02	Explain fish metabolic rates.	
05.03	Identify fish food additives.	
05.04	Outline the basic concepts of nutrition for plants, mollusks, crustaceans, and fish.	
05.05	Discuss the importance of nutrition to growth and survival of various aquaculture species.	
05.06	Identify feeding habits and practices of a variety of aquaculture species.	
05.07	List common ingredients and additives of aquatic feeds and identify practices in feeds formulation and manufacturing.	
05.08	Demonstrate an ability to culture live feeds including microalgae, rotifers and artemia and discuss their importance.	
05.09	Calculate feeding rates, growth and feed conversion ratios for various aquaculture species stocked at different densities and rates.	
05.10	List different feeding methods, measure feed and maintain feed records in logs and computers.	
05.11	Discuss and differentiate feeding practices for hatchery, nursery and grow out of mollusks.	
05.12	Discuss nutrition practices for culturing aquatic plants.	
05.13	Discuss the principles of bioenergetics to growth.	
06.0	Diagnose and control common aquaculture maladies. The student will be able to:	
06.01	Identify the common diseases that infect aquaculture organisms.	
06.02	Understand the basic mechanisms for control of disease.	
06.03	Identify common bacterial diseases and treatment options.	
06.04	Identify common mycotic diseases and treatment options.	
06.05	Identify common viral diseases and treatment options.	
06.06	Identify common parasitic diseases and treatment options.	
06.07	Discuss the relationship of nutrition, water quality and stress how they may cause disease in aquaculture organisms.	
06.08	Prepare an aquatic organism for diagnostic examination or shipment.	
06.09	Observe various diseases of aquatic organisms and demonstrate use of a microscope.	
06.10	List approved drugs available for use in aquaculture.	
06.11	Describe approved chemicals and their use in treating diseases.	
06.12	Identify common aquatic parasites found in Florida waters.	
06.13	Identify toxic environmental diseases in fish.	
07.0	Operate and maintain aquaculture equipment. The student will be able to:	
07.01	List equipment used in various production units necessary to raise plants, mollusks, crustaceans, and fish.	
07.02	Set up and maintain standard aquaria.	
07.03	Discuss the set-up of field aquaculture ponds.	
07.04	Measure field parameters such as temperature, salinity, and hardness.	
07.05	Set up a system to culture aquatic plants.	
07.06	Demonstrate an ability to correctly use aquaculture equipment including, but not limited to, a thermometer, oxygen meter, refractometer, pH meter, pump, graduated cylinder, beaker, nets, siphon, scales, sieves, calipers, secchi disk, and a microscope.	
07.07	Set up aquaculture filtration systems.	
07.08	List equipment options of a recirculating system including solids removal, biofiltration, sterilization and aeration, and explain their basic functions.	
07.09	Operate and perform system maintenance on a recirculating system.	
07.10	Estimate pumping requirements and select an appropriately sized pump for a given system and water volume.	
07.11	Layout a PVC plumbing scheme for a given aquaculture system with a sufficient number of valves to allow for bypass and isolation and then measure, cut and assemble that water system.	
07.12	Layout and put together an aeration system operated on airlift technology.	
07.13	Replace and install a pump.	
07.14	Perform simple calculations related to water volume, water flow and system loading. 	
07.15	Use and operate tools and equipment safely.	
07.16	Measure productivity in aquaculture systems.	
08.0	Assist in the maturation, spawning, larval and juvenile rearing of aquaculture organisms. The student will be able to:	
08.01	Describe the reproductive anatomy, function of reproductive organs, and reproductive cycles of selected aquaculture organisms.	
08.02	Differentiate between males and females of the same species.	
08.03	Relate environmental factors to successful reproduction of various aquaculture species.	
08.04	Explain the use of hormones, anesthetics, chemicals, antibiotics, and other techniques to manage broodstock and accelerate reproductive cycles and contrast the difference between environmental conditioning and induced spawning techniques.	
08.05	Maintain and care for broodstock and prepare spawning tanks and/or systems. 	
08.06	Describe maturation, spawning, hatching, and larval rearing techniques for selected aquaculture species.	
08.07	Discuss the importance of nutrition at various stages of the larval rearing cycle for selected aquaculture species.	
08.08	Use a microscope to examine the stages and condition of eggs and larvae. 	
08.09	Prepare, stock, feed and maintain larval rearing tanks.	
08.10	Culture live feeds and calculate feeding rates.	
08.11	Outline a maturation system design for selected aquatic species.	
08.12	List important practices and tasks in hatchery management.	
08.13	Estimate production numbers from a given spawn of a given species.	
08.14	Record hatching date in logs and computers and interpret results. 	
09.0	Perform general aquaculture nursery systems operations. The student will be able to:	
09.01	Maintain, clean and operate a broodstock tank and list important practices in managing broodstock.	
09.02	Start, maintain, count and harvest live feeds.	
09.03	Maintain a nursery system by demonstrating an ability to clean tanks and filtration equipment, adjust water flow and volume, set aeration, and monitor water quality and feeding levels.	
09.04	Describe and differentiate between land-based and field-based nursery systems, equipment, and operations.	
09.05	Monitor and record routine data such as feed amounts and times, temperature, oxygen, salinity, and ammonia and enter data into a computer or log book.	
09.06	List and describe nursery production systems and larval husbandry techniques for fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.	
09.07	Demonstrate practical hands-on experience in handling a variety of juvenile aquaculture organisms and operating nursery production units.	

Additional Information

Laboratory Activities

Laboratory investigations that include scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, emerging technologies, tools and equipment, as well as, experimental, quality, and safety procedures are an integral part of this career and technical program/course. Laboratory investigations benefit all students by developing an understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills required to manage, operate, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment/tools used to make observations. Students understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance hands-on experiences for students.

Accommodations

Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Postsecondary students with disabilities must self-identify, present documentation, request accommodations if needed, and develop a plan with their counselor and/or instructors. Accommodations received in postsecondary education may differ from those received in secondary education. Accommodations change the way the student is instructed. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in such areas as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.