Level 2 fish and shellfish NOS Richard Wardell July 1, 2024

Level 2 Fish and Shellfish NOS

The NOS units provided here are with the kind permission of FDQ Ltd.  NB: other sets of fish and shellfish NOS exist and are used in Wales and Scotland.

Level 2 fish and shellfish NOS (OS, OK and UK units)

Level 2 Fish and Shellfish Industry Skills Occupational Standards developed over several years by Improve and Seafish, the following 162 units represent the most comprehensive analysis of the occupational skills and knowledge required to perform competently in a wide range of Level 2 fish and shellfish roles.

At the end of this page there is a link to the Level 2 fish and shellfish spreadsheet that you can use to compile your own “pick and mix” listing to suit your business and individual work role needs.

Ref # Level 2 FSIS Title and link
1  Fillet fish by hand 
2  Understand how to fillet fish by hand 
3  Process fish by hand 
4  Understand how to process fish by hand 
5  Grade fish-shellfish by hand 
6  Understand how to grade fish-shellfish by hand 
7  Intake fish-shellfish 
8  Understand how to intake fish-shellfish 
9  Control fish-shellfish defrosting 
10  Understand how to control fish-shellfish defrosting 
11  Shuck bivalves by hand 
12  Understand how to shuck bivalves by hand 
13  Pack and ice fish-shellfish 
14  Understand how to pack and ice fish-shellfish 
15  Grade fish-shellfish by machine 
16  Understand how to control processes in food manufacture 
17  Control the fish-shellfish brining process 
18  Understand how to control the fish-shellfish brining process 
19  Control the dry curing of fish 
20  Understand how to control the dry curing of fish 
21  Control the fish-shellfish smoking process 
22  Understand how to control the fish-shellfish smoking process 
23  Control the fish-shellfish marinating process 
24  Understand how to control the fish-shellfish marinating process 
25  Gut and clean fish by hand 
26  Understand how to gut and clean fish by hand 
27  Assemble fish-shellfish products by hand 
28  Understand how to assemble fish-shellfish products by hand 
29  Extract shellfish meat by hand 
30  Understand how to extract shellfish meat by hand 
31  Control shellfish meat extraction operations 
32  Understand how to control shellfish meat extraction operations 
33  Pack live shellfish for despatch 
34  Understand how to pack and care for live shellfish for despatch 
35  Control fish gutting operations 
36  Control fish skinning operations 
38  Understand how to use fish-shellfish quality assessment methods 
39  Harvest fish for food supply 
41  Carry out shellfish depuration processing 
42  Understand how to carry out shellfish depuration processing 
43  Control shellfish depuration processing 
44  Understand how to control shellfish depuration processing 
67  Process fish-shellfish in a sales environment 
68  Understand how to process fish-shellfish in a sales environment 
69  Display fish-shellfish in a sales environment 
70  Understand how to display fish-shellfish in a sales environment 
145  Principles of fish-shellfish smoking 
146  Principles of displaying fish-shellfish in a sales environment 
147  Principles of marine finfish product knowledge 
148  Principles of shellfish  non-marine finfish and marine food products Product Knowledge
149  Principles of seafood quality science 
150  Principles of frying fish and chips 
151  Principles of brining and salting fish-shellfish 
152  Principles of fish-shellfish quality assessment 
40  Understand how to harvest fish for food supply 
37  Monitor product quality in food operations 
45  Operate central control systems in food manufacture 
46  Understand how to operate central control systems in food manufacture 
47  Control size reduction in food manufacture 
48  Control weighing in food manufacture 
49  Control mixing in food manufacture 
50  Control heat treatment in food manufacture 
51  Control separation in food manufacture 
52  Control temperature reduction in food manufacture 
53  Control forming in food manufacture 
54  Control depositing in food manufacture 
55  Control defrosting in food manufacture 
56  Understand how to control defrosting in food manufacture 
57  Prepare sauces and marinades by hand in food manufacture 
58  Understand how to prepare sauces and marinades in food manufacture 
59  Control enrobing in food manufacture 
60  Monitor and maintain storage conditions in food operations 
61  Contribute to the effectiveness of food retail operations 
62  Understand how to contribute to the effectiveness of food retail operations 
63  Sell food products in a retail environment 
64  Understand how to sell food products in a retail environment 
65  Maximise sales in a food retail environment 
66  Understand how to maximise sales of food products in a retail environment 
71 Prepare ingredients and store fillings and toppings in food manufacture 
72 Understand how to prepare and store savoury fillings and toppings in food manufacture 
73 Produce individual packs by hand in food operations 
74 Prepare to operate a counter-take away service in food operations 
75 Understand how to operate a counter-take away service in food operations 
76 Operate a counter-take away service in food operations 
77 Understand how to prepare to operate a counter-take away service in food operations 
78 Prepare to operate a table-tray service in food operations 
79 Understand how to prepare to operate a table-tray service in food operations 
80 Operate a table-tray service in food operations 
81 Understand how to operate a table-tray service in food operations 
82 Finish bake-off products 
83 Understand how to finish bake-off products 
84 Understand how to supply materials for production in food operations 
85 Understand how to assemble and process products for food service 
86  Monitor food hygiene standards using rapid test methods in operations 
87  Understand how to monitor food hygiene standards using rapid test methods in operations 
88  Lift and handle materials safely in food operations 
89  Understand how to lift and handle materials safely in food operations 
90 Principles of HACCP based food safety systems
90  Contribute to environmental safety in food operations 
91  Understand how to contribute to environmental safety in food operations 
92  Maintain  promote and improve environmental good practice in food operations 
93  Understand how to monitor and improve environmental good practice in food operations 
94  Contribute to the maintenance of plant and equipment in food operations 
95  Understand how to contribute to the maintenance of plant and equipment in food operations 
96  Store goods and materials in food operations 
97  Understand how to store and organise goods and materials in food operations 
98  Supply materials for production in food operations 
100  Produce product packs in food operations 
101  Understand how to produce product packs in food operations 
102  Pack orders for despatch in food operations 
103  Understand how to pack orders for despatch in food operations 
104  Prepare orders for despatch in food operations 
105  Understand how to prepare orders for despatch in food operations 
106  Carry out product changeovers in food manufacture 
107  Understand how to carry out product changeovers in food manufacture 
108  Contribute to problem diagnosis in food manufacture 
109  Understand how to contribute to problem diagnosis in food manufacture 
110  Contribute to problem resolution in food manufacture 
111  Understand how to contribute to problem resolution in food manufacture 
112  Control wrapping in food manufacture 
113 Understand how to control processes in food manufacture
114  Slice and bag individual food products 
115  Understand how to slice and bag individual food products 
116  Control washing and drying machinery in food operations 
117  Understand how to control washing and drying machinery in food operations 
118  Sharpen cutting tools for use in food operations 
119  Understand how to sharpen cutting tools for use in food operations 
120  Control hygiene cleaning in food operations 
121  Understand how to control hygiene cleaning in food operations 
122  Deal effectively with waste in food operations 
123  Understand how to deal effectively with waste in food operations 
124  Monitor and control waste disposal in food operations 
125  Understand how to monitor and control the recovery and separation of by-products in food operations 
126  Fill or extrude meat and meat-based mixtures 
127  Understand how to fill or extrude meat and meat-based mixtures 
128  Understand how to monitor and control waste disposal in food operations 
129  Monitor and control the recovery and separation of by-products and waste disposal in food operations 
130  Work effectively with others in food operations 
131  Understand how to work effectively with others in food operations 
132  Maintain product quality in food operations 
133  Understand how to maintain product quality in food operations 
134  Maintain workplace food safety standards in operations 
135  Understand how to maintain workplace food safety standards in operations 
136  Maintain workplace health and safety in food operations 
137  Understand how to maintain workplace health and safety in food operations 
138  Contribute to continuous improvement for achieving excellence in food operations 
139  Understand how to contribute to continuous improvement for achieving excellence in food operations 
140  Clean in place -CIP- plant and equipment in food operations 
141  Understand how to prepare for and conduct cleaning in place -CIP- of plant and equipment in food operations 
142  Understand how to avoid contamination and complete cleaning in place -CIP- of plant and equipment in food operations 
143  Carry out task hand-over procedures in food manufacture 
144  Understand how to carry out task hand-over procedures in food manufacture 
153  Principles of sterile processing in food technology 
154  Principles of cans and closing cans in food manufacture 
155 Assemble and process food service products 
156 Principles of supporting an organisational culture in a food business
157 Principles of setting targets and monitoring performance in a food business
158 Principles of organisational compliance in a food business
159 Principles of food safety for manufacturing
160 Principles of clean in place (CIP) in food operations
161 Principles of using and storing materials in food operations 
162 Principles of product quality and improvements in food operations

How does the spreadsheet work? 

This spreadsheet can be used to access the various NOS files. 

There are two sheets in the workbook, one for Level 2 units and one for level 3 units.

To view a single unit click on the link in column C.

To sort the units make sure you select entire rows so that all the related data is kept together.

To populate your own column (Cols M to W) enter 1.0000 if the unit is a good match to the role, and 0.001 if it is a poor fit.  This results in the totals for credits etc being made up of good fit units appearing as xxxxx. and poor fit units as 0000.xxxx.

For example a total credit score of 35.0075 means 35 credits from good fit units and 75 credits from poor fit units.  35 credits is probably enough for your apprenticeship.  

Good luck! 

Lee Cooper June 2024