Progress and Problems in Electrofishing Standardization

Since the publication of Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes by the American Fisheries Society in 2009, interest in standardized electrofishing has increased among fisheries agencies and organizations. Progress has been achieved through short-course training of personnel in the proven principles and practices of electrofishing; increased use of compatible equipment that gives comparable performance; and development and documentation of standard sampling methods that meet program objectives. More refinements, however, are necessary if electrofishing standardization is to progress further. Refinements should include in-house training for electrofishing personnel, particularly members of the same crew(s); basic testing of equipment for quality assurance; further specifications for electrodes to meet specific objectives; and use of either power-based or non-power-based (i.e., voltage or current) methods for flexibility among programs. Specific needs for further progress in standardized electrofishing will be elaborated.