Abstract
This report attempts to establish guide-lines for electrofishing in population studies and is the result of literature studies and experience from electrofishing in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Equipment, safety and training, sampling design and precision requirements for various types of investigations, population estimation and fishing practice are discussed. The results are put forward in the form of recommendations. Special attention is paid to the sampling design of surveys in streams of different types and for different purposes. Examples of the computation procedures are also included.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bohlin, T., 1981. Methods of estimating total stock, smolt output and survival using electrofishing. Rep. Inst. Freshwat. Res. Drottningholm No. 59: 5–14.
Bohlin, T., 1982. The validity of the removal method for small populations - consequences for electrofishing practice. Rep. Inst. Freshwat. Res. Drottningholm No. 60: 15–18.
Bohlin, T., 1984. Quantitative electrofishing for salmon and trout — views and recommendations. Inf. från Sötvatten-laboratoriet. No. 4. (In Swedish with English summary).
Bohlin, T. & B. Sundström, 1977. Influence of unequal catchability on population estimates using the Lincoln Index and the removal method applied to electro-fishing. Oikos 28: 123–129.
Bruschek, E., 1967. Investigations of conductivity for electric fishing in Austrian streams. In Vibert, R. 1967: 125–130.
Chmielewski, A., R. Cuinat, W. Dembinski & P. Lamarque, 1973. Investigations of a method for comparing the efficiency of electrical fishing machines. Polskie Arch. Hydrobiol. 20: 319–340.
Cochran, W. G., 1963. Sampling techniques. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York, London, Sidney.
Cross, D. G., 1976. A method of comparing the efficiences of electric fishing operations. J. Fish. Biol. 9: 261–265.
Cross, D. G. & B. Stott, 1975. The effect of electric fishing on the subsequent capture of fish. J. Fish. Biol. 7: 349–357.
Cuinat, R., 1967. Contribution to the study of physical parameters in electrical fishing in rivers with direct current. In Vibert, R., 1967: 131–173.
Dembinski, W. & A. Korycka, 1974. Water conductivity and electro fishing. Rocz. Nauk Roln. tom 96-H-2: 75–87.
Ernst, M. E. & J. Nielsen, 1981. Populationsdynamiske undersögelser over stalling (Thymallus thymallus) i övre Gudenå. Stencil, Danmarks Fisheri- og Havundersøgelser, Ferskvandsfiskerilaboratoriet, Silkeborg.
Gatz, Jr. A. J., J. M. Loar & G. F. Cada, 1986. Effects of repeated electroshocking on instantaneous growth of trout. North Am. J. Fish. Mgmt 6: 176–182.
Halsband, E., 1967. Basic principes of electric fishing. I. Vibert, R. 1967: 57–64.
Hankin, D. G., 1984. Multistage sampling designs in fisheries research: application in small streams. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 41: 1575–1591.
Hayne, D. W., 1949. Two methods for estimating populations from trapping records. J. Mammal. 30: 399–411.
Hartley, W. G., 1980. The use of three-phase current for electrical fishing. Fish. Mgmt 11: 77–79.
Heggberget, T. G. & T. Hesthagen, 1979. Population estimates of young Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., and brown trout, Salmo trutta L., by electrofishing in two small streams in north Norway. Rep. Inst. Freshwat. Res. Drottningholm No. 58: 27–33.
Heidinger, R. C., D. R. Helms, T. I. Hiebert & P. H. Howe, 1983. Operational comparisons of three electrofishing systems. North Am. J. Fish. Mgmt 3: 254–257.
Hickley, Ph., 1985. Recent developments in electric fishing gear. Inst. Fish. Mgmt news.
Junge, C. O. & J. Libosvarsky, 1965. Effects of size selectivity on population estimates based on successive removals with electrical fishing gear. Zool. Listy 14: 171–178.
Moran, P. A. P., 1951. A mathematical theory of animal trapping. Biometrica 38: 307–311.
Lamarque, P., 1967. Electrophysiology of fish subject to the action of an electric field. In Fishing with electricity — its application to biology and management. R. Vibert (ed.), FAO-EIFAC, Fishing News Ltd., London.
Lamarque, P., 1977. Un appareil de peche a l'electricité pour les eaux de forte conductivité (eaux saumatres et marines). Cybium, 3eme seire 1: 75–94.
Lamarque, P., 1984. Utilisation de l'electricité dans l'amenagement des eaux interieures. SIL 1983 in press.
Peterson, N. P. & C. J. Cederholm, 1984. A comparison of the removal and the mark-recapture methods of population estimation for juvenile coho salmon in a small stream. N. Am. J. Fish. Mgmt 4: 99–102.
Phillips, B. F. & A. B. Scolaro, 1980. An electrofishing apparatus for sampling sublittoral benthic marine habitas. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 47: 69–75.
Priegel, G. R. & D. W. Novotny, 1975. A simple electrical filter to improve electrofishing. Progr. Fish-cult. 37: 118.
Regis, J., E. Pattee & J. D. Lebreton, 1981. A new method for evaluating the efficiency of electric fishing. Arch. Hydrobiol. 93: 68–82.
Robson, D. S. & H. A. Regier, 1964. Sample size in Petersen mark-recapture experiments. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 93: 215–226.
Seber, G. A. F., 1973. The stimation of animal abundance and related parameters. Griffin, London. 506 pp.
Seber, G. A. F. & E. D. LeCren, 1967. Estimating population parameters from catches large relative to the population. J. Anim. Ecol. 36: 631–643.
Seber, G. A. F. & J. F. Whale, 1970. The removal method for two and three samples. Biometrics 26: 393–400.
Sternin, V. G., I. V. Nikonorov & Yu. K. Bumeister, 1972. Electrical fishing. Theory and practice. (English translation). Israel Program for Scientific Translations. Jerusalem 1976: 315 pp.
Stewart, P. E. M., 1975. Catch selectivity by electrical fishing systems. Const. int. Explor. Mer. 36: 106–109.
Vibert, R., 1967. Fishing with electricity — its application to biology and management. — FAO-EIFAC, Fishing News Ltd., London: 275 pp.
Vincent, R., 1971. River electrofishing and fish population estimates. Progr. Fish-cult. 33: 163–169.
Weiss, D. M., 1972. A high power pulse generator for electric fishing. J. Fish. Biol. 4: 453–459.
Weiss, D. M., 1976. A high power pulse generator for electric fishing — revised circuit. J. Fish. Biol. 9: 119–123.
Youngs, W. D. & D. S. Robson, 1978. Estimation of population number and mortality rates. In Methods for assessment of fish production in fresh waters. T. Bagenal. (ed.), Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford: 137–164.
Zalewski, M., M. Molinski & T. Penczak, 1975. The influence of electric currents applied in electrofishing on the respiration of some fish species. Przeglad Zoologiczn XIX, 3: 329–334.
Zippin, C., 1956. An evaluation of the removal method of estimating animal populations. Biometrics 12: 163–169.
Zippin, C., 1958. The removal method of population estimation. J. Wildl. Mgmt22: 82–90.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bohlin, T., Hamrin, S., Heggberget, T.G. et al. Electrofishing — Theory and practice with special emphasis on salmonids. Hydrobiologia 173, 9–43 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008596
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008596