Preventing Passage and Controlling Movement of Various Fishes in a Zero-Flow Environment Using Electrical Fields

Controlling the movement and passage of fishes has valuable utility from prevention of movement into river reaches to labor reduction and efficacy of fish collection. The goal of this research was to identify electrical settings necessary to prevent passage and control the swimming behavior of fishes in a zero-flow environment. These studies characterized the behavioral responses of northern pike (Esox lucius) (22.0-28.5 cm TL), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) (4-60 cm TL), silver (H. molitrix) (13-26 cm TL) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) (41-77 cm TL) to a pulsed DC, no-pass field. These studies also characterized the behavioral responses of bighead, silver and common carp to a low voltage, low frequency, pulsed DC dynamic field. Fish movement was recorded using video surveillance and analyzed using tracking software. It was demonstrated that passage of all bighead, silver and common carp could be prevented using the tested settings. It was also shown that the dynamic field could guide 100% of bighead, silver and common carp out of a predefined area with little alteration of swimming behavior. These results suggest new options for management agencies to limit range extension of aquatic invasive species and potentially reduce labor during fish harvest.