Electrofishing — What Must be Standardized and Where Is Flexibility Acceptable?

A comprehensive electrofishing program has three components: equipment, operations and training. If electrofishing is to be standardized, each part must be considered in terms of essential and flexible elements. I surveyed 12 experts — one in New Zealand, two each in the U.K. and Australia and the remainder in the U.S. — to obtain opinions about these elements. In terms of equipment standardization, control-unit metering, pulsed-DC output, and waveform calibration were considered essential whereas the power source, dip nets, and fish-holding devices flexible. Surprisingly, only 7 of 12 experts regarded standard electrodes as essential. Operationally, most experts viewed standardization of waveform, output tables, threshold determination, sampling plan, temperature-conductivity measurement, electrode-resistance checks, and data collection as essential; only fish handling and processing was regarded as flexible. Essential aspects of training were thought to be the use of a Standard Operating Plan (SOP) including literature citation, formal training and field experience for crew leaders, and SOP-based training for all personnel. Competency training for crew members was considered essential but formal training was not. Universal standards for electrofishing are useful as guidelines. Effective standardization is best achieved at the project level where objectives are well defined so that standards are achieved by agreement.