Description: Electrofishing is an effective way to sample freshwater fish populations. However, electrofishing may cause fish injury or mortality. The proper balance between efficient sampling and minimal adverse effects to fish is achieved through use of proper field techniques and understanding the principles of electricity. This course is intended to meet the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) training requirements for electrofishing field staff. The NMFS guidance and training requirements document may be downloaded here. This course will provide a one-day overview of electrofishing principles and practices and one day of field experience. On the first day, participants will spend the day in the classroom learning electrofishing principles and science. On the second day, participants will spend the day in the field learning backpack electrofishing techniques at a nearby stream. On the last day of the course, we will process the results of the field session, review the essential concepts and techniques of electrofishing, and answer any final questions

Fish Sampling and Electrofishing Applications
- Electrofishing applications for fish exclusion, relocation, and abundance estimates
- Single pass, multi-pass, and depletion approaches
- Electrofishing in low conductivity versus high conductivity water
- Electrofishing in different habitats (substrate, undercut banks, and aquatic vegetation)
- Determining when electrofishing is appropriate or necessary?

Electric Circuits and Electric Fields
- Principles of electricity and terminology
- Comparison of AC, pulsed DC, and DC waveforms
- Electric field formation and power transfer
- Getting fish into the circuit
- Electrode size and shape effects

Backpack Electrofishing Systems
- System components
- Settings, calibration, and maintenance

Fish Health and Safety
- Fish behavior in electric fields
- Electroshock-induced injury, stress and mortality
- Factors affecting risk of mortality and injury
- Field calibration of backpack shockers
- Guidelines for minimizing fish stress and injury

Fish Capture and Handling Techniques
- Net types and appropriate usage
- Block net versus no block net
- Upstream versus downstream electrofishing
- Fish handling techniques
- Fish resuscitation equipment and practices

Sampling Design, Techniques, and Standardization
- Project design for data consistency and quality
- Deep water versus shallow water issues
- Single species versus multiple species sites
- Importance of water conductivity in standardization
- Use of power transfer to standardize sampling

Crew Health and Safety
- Common safety issues
- Safe use of backpack shockers
- Incorporating safety into electrofishing projects

Permit Requirements and Agency Conditions
- Local, state and federal permits and regulations
- National Marine Fisheries Service guidelines
- Other important considerations

Equipment Summary
- Essential equipment for every backpack electrofishing project
- Optional equipment that could be useful under certain circumstances

Field Demonstration Session (at local creek)
- Waveform and voltage calibration in the field
- Electric field mapping
- System safety and evaluation
- Power standardization

Field Application Session (at local creek)
- Participants will apply course concepts during field exercises designed to simulate a typical project.
- Each participant will use the electrofishing equipment in the water
- Each participant will assist with fish capture, data logging, and fish release in small teams