Corporate Training By Zack Academy - Backpack Electrofishing: Principles and Practices

Why Should You Take This Backpack Electrofishing: Principles and Practices Course?

Electrofishing is an effective way to sample freshwater fish populations, however, electrofishing may cause fish injury or mortality. This course will cover how the proper balance between efficient sampling and minimal harm is achieved through the knowledge of electrofishing principles and proper use of the techniques and equipment available.

This Backpack Electrofishing: Principles and Practices course includes two days of classroom lecture with a field day in the middle during which the concepts discussed in class will be demonstrated and practiced by attendees. The class will visit a stream/river/creek and each attendee will operate the equipment under the guidance of the instructor. The day of field exercises provides attendees with real-world experience applying the concepts discussed in the classroom. The combination of classroom lecture, field demonstration, and participation exercises gives attendees the knowledge and basic experience they will need to safely and effectively electrofish.

This three-day course is intended to meet the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) training requirements for electrofishing field staff.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is intended for biologists, field personnel, and other professionals seeking an improved understanding of the principles and techniques of electrofishing.

Topics and Techniques to be Covered Include:

Electric Circuits and Fields

• Principles and terminology
• Characteristics of AC, DC and pulsed DC waveforms
• Power transfer
• Electric field characteristics
• Effects of size, shape, and spacing of electrodes
• Water conductivity measurement

Fish Behavior and Welfare

• Fish reactions in AC, DC, and pulsed DC fields
• Attracting fish for capture
• Causes and reductions of fish stress
• Types and causes of fish injury
• Reducing fish injury and mortality
• Effects of electroshock on fish eggs and invertebrates
• Obtaining permits for backpack electrofishing

Backpack Electrofishing Systems

• System components
• Types of equipment
• Evaluating output
• Troubleshooting problems
• Understanding settings

Backpack Operations and Safety

• Safe use of backpack electrofishing equipment
• Common safety issues
• Safety policies
• Crew organization
• Role of first aid and CPR training

Field Trip Exercises

• Waveform output evaluation
• Electrode resistance measurement
• Electrical field mapping
• Voltage threshold for fish capture
• Fish capture techniques
• Fish storage recovery, handling, and release
• Field data requirements

Sampling Design and Applications

• Goal-oriented designs
• Factors affecting electrofishing efficiency
• Use and validity of electrofishing data
• Development of standardized power tables

Meet the Instructor:

Dr. James B. (Jim) Reynolds is Professor Emeritus of Fisheries at the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he served on the faculty from 1978 to 1999. Jim is a recognized authority on electrofishing and ecology of northern fisheries. He has taught electrofishing short courses to over 1,500 biologists in the U.S. Canada, and other countries; is the author of the chapter on electrofishing in "Fisheries Techniques" published by the American Fisheries Society, and has written numerous research articles on the subject. Jim is past President of the Education and Fisheries History sections and the Missouri and Alaska chapters of the American Fisheries Society. He has provided technical guidance to many state and federal agencies including the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Services regarding electrofishing guidelines.

Important: 

• Please bring a pen or pencil and notepad
• Drinks and snacks will be provided throughout the day
• Please wait to receive a course confirmation email (roughly one month prior to the class) before making any travel arrangements