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Extending the Effectiveness of Electrofishing to Estuarine Habitats: Laboratory and Field Assessments
Author(s) -
Lieschke Jason A.,
Dean Jan C.,
Pickworth Andrew
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1002/tafs.10158
Subject(s) - electrofishing , environmental science , brackish water , fishery , range (aeronautics) , fish <actinopterygii> , estuary , voltage , marine engineering , materials science , electrical engineering , ecology , biology , salinity , engineering , composite material
Electrofishing is a widely used and highly effective method of sampling freshwater fishes. However, power limitations currently restrict electrofishing to waterways with ambient electrical conductivities up to 5,000 μS/cm. At these higher conductivities, the electrofishing devices currently available are limited in providing the peak power required for effective electrofishing (i.e., peak power drops below the fish capture threshold). The Grassl Model EL 65 IIGI 1 electrofisher ( GEF ) is a new, high‐power boat electrofishing system designed to successfully fish waters with electrical conductivities exceeding 5,000 μS/cm, but its electrical output and effective power range for fish capture remain untested. We used tank and field electrical load tests to document the output power capability of the GEF over a wide range of electrical resistances and conductivities. Maximum power output for the low voltage range was 246,500 peak watts, with a maximum current of 1,880 peak amperes. Effective fish capture conductivity for the GEF with standard electrodes was estimated to range from 30 to 35,000 μS/cm. Our results demonstrate that the GEF greatly extends electrofishing capability into estuarine and brackish‐water habitats.