Dual-gear approach for calibrating electric fishing capture efficiency and abundance estimates

Abstract  Electric fishing depletion systematically underestimates fish abundance in streams. Electric fishing mark-recapture estimates are unbiased, but only when performed over several days to allow marked fish to recover from electric fishing. A mark-recapture procedure that can be performed in 1 day and produces unbiased population estimates is described. It involves minnow trapping, marking and releasing juvenile salmonids in a stop-netted reach, followed by electric fishing the reach 1 h after release of marked fish. Recapture of marked fish during electric fishing can form the basis of a dual-gear mark-recapture population estimate, or an unbiased estimate of electric fishing capture efficiency. The marking technique did not affect short-term catchability of the target species ( P  =   0.823), and provided unbiased estimates of capture efficiency (0.38–0.40) that were similar to those documented by other researchers. However, local validation to confirm equal catchability of marked and unmarked fish, as described in this study, is recommended.     

Evaluation of single-pass backpack electric fishing for stream fish community monitoring

Abstract  Data from Lake Ontario tributaries were used to evaluate the efficacy of single-pass backpack electric fishing for stream fish monitoring by: testing the relationship between single-pass catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and multiple-pass-based population estimates; comparing species richness estimates derived from single-pass and multiple-pass data and assessing the concordance of fish assemblage patterns described using single-pass and multiple-pass data. Significant correlations were calculated between single-pass CPUE and removal-based population estimates for total catch, 15 species, six taxonomic families, five feeding and four reproductive guilds and tolerant/intolerant species. Strong correlations were more commonly associated with the abundance of individual species than other metrics. Capture probability was not affected by stream size or habitat complexity for most measures. Species accumulation curves and significant correlations ( r ² = 0.9) between single-pass and multiple-pass electric fishing indicate that single-pass surveys provide a representative index of species diversity. In addition, within and among-site variation in fish community composition based on single-pass and multiple-pass data were similar.     

Monitoring warm-water fish populations in north temperate regions: sampling considerations when using proportional stock density

Three lakes were repeatedly sampled at night using boat electric fishing, experimental gill netting, and fyke netting from May to November 1993 to evaluate the feasibility of using proportional stock density (PSD) to monitor warm-water fish populations in Washington State, USA. Additionally, average night-time boat electric fishing catch-per-effort of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepéde), from 30 Washington lakes was also analysed to determine the amount of effort required to obtain adequate samples for precise PSD estimates. Temporal variations in PSD were not large enough to affect the management of warm-water fish populations in the small Washington lakes studied. However, the considerable effort required to obtain precise PSD estimates may limit its usefulness for warm-water fisheries surveys in the Pacific Northwest. On average, from three to 13 nights of electric fishing effort are needed to capture enough stock-length largemouth bass for PSD estimates, depending on the precision desired (80–95%) and the location of the lake (eastern or western Washington). Catch of stock-length fish can be maximized by using electric fishing for centrarchids and gill netting for yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), in June or September. Adequate samples for precise PSD estimates can be difficult to obtain from Pacific Northwestern lakes, even when using recommended gear at optimum sampling times. Inability to capture an adequate sample size for precise PSD estimates may be responsible for some of the fluctuation in PSDs in some studies of warm-water fish populations in northern areas. Managers in other northern climates may find that low sample size may account for large variations in PSDs reported.     

A comparison of electric fishing and gillnetting to examine the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on riverine fish communities

Abstract Quantitative electric fishing and multiple mesh-size gillnetting of fish communities in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River system, near Sydney, were carried out upstream of, within and well below each of three major points of treated sewage effluent discharge. Approximately half of the fish sampled were caught by electric fishing, comprising 515 individuals in 3 h of electric fishing (172 fish per hour). The remaining 439 fish were caught in 72 h of gillnetting (six fish per hour). In total, 16 fish species were collected by electric fishing and only seven species by the gill nets. Differences were found in the total abundances and numbers of species collected by each method in relation to points of treated sewage effluent discharge, but neither community variable showed consistent differences between the areas above, within and well below points of treated sewage effluent discharge in all three river regions. However, classification and ordination of electric fishing catch data produced distinct fish community groups in relation to sewage discharge, while similar analyses of the gillnetting data failed to reveal such differences in community structure. It was suggested that the increased sampling efficiency of electric fishing, both in terms of the number of fish sampled per unit effort and number of species collected, allowed for significant increases in the power of univariate and multivariate analysis methods in detecting such environmental disturbances in large rivers.     

Inter-calibration of three electric fishing techniques to estimate 0+ juvenile fish densities on sandy river beaches

Abstract  The efficiencies of three different techniques for 0+ fish point abundance sampling by electric fishing were tested on a sandy beach of the Morava River, Czech Republic. During direct electric fishing (DE), the operator immerses an anode fastened on an extension pole. During thrown anode electric fishing (TE), the anode is thrown at a distance from the bank. During remote electric fishing (RE), a pre-positioned anode is activated after allowing sufficient time for fish to recolonise the area. The DE technique was found to disturb fish and that fish tend to escape, thereby reducing its efficiency (30% of efficiency of RE). There was no significant difference in relative abundance estimates or size structure of assemblages between DE and RE, but TE seemed to be a species selective technique on sandy river beaches, significantly overestimating relative abundance of bleak. Of the three techniques tested, RE was the most efficient and if time required for deployment could be reduced, it would be also the most suitable for monitoring 0+ fish assemblages on sandy river beaches.     

Influences of gear type and analytical methodology on fish assemblage characterisations in temperate lakes

A variety of gears and analytical methods can be used to characterise lentic fish assemblages; however, the combined influence of gear type and analysis can affect conclusions about assemblage patterns. Fish assemblages sampled with night electric fishing, gillnets and trapnets from 153 lakes were evaluated using summary indices of species composition, pairwise community similarity comparisons and multivariate ordination. For a given amount of effort, electric fishing had the highest species richness, while gillnets had higher diversity and evenness. Pairwise comparisons between gears revealed that (1) richness was positively correlated among all gears, (2) diversity and evenness were generally not correlated across gears and (3) electric fishing and trapnets captured more similar species than all other pairwise comparisons. Gear‐specific multivariate correlation and ordination revealed that gillnet and electric fishing samples more similarly characterised variation in assemblages among lakes, while trapnets characterised assemblages along different gradients of species composition. These results indicate that either electric fishing or trapnetting can be used when assessing shallow‐water assemblages for diversity or evenness, gillnets and either electric fishing or trapnets should be used for whole‐lake assessments, and either gillnets or electric fishing should be used when evaluating regionwide variation in lake assemblages.     

Assessing electric fishing sampling effort to estimate stream fish assemblage attributes

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) obligates authorities to assess the ecological status of rivers. The sampling of the fish assemblage must be based on a reliable and cost‐effective monitoring programme, and it should be optimised to measure the ecological quality cost‐effectively. The efficiency of single‐pass versus three‐pass backpack electric fishing was measured to assess ecological status. The data included 295 electric fishing samplings from 137 rivers in Finland and a 5‐year data series from six small forest streams in mid‐eastern Finland. Compared with three‐pass electric fishing, single‐pass electric fishing in the same area increased the risk of missing rare fish species and species with low catchability. The concordance of the calculated fish metrics (e.g. proportion of tolerant and intolerant species) between one‐ and three‐pass measurements was, however, high, suggesting that single‐pass electric fishing was a suitable sampling procedure to evaluate ecological status. Increasing the area sampled by single‐pass removals stabilised the variances in the fish metrics and similarity indexes. It was concluded that in small streams electric fishing an area 24–27 times the stream width and in general a minimum of 300 m², but preferably more than 450 m², was adequate to estimate fish assemblage attributes reliably in boreal streams.     

肖四海湖五种渔具的鳜渔获结构特征及其对鳜资源的影响

为评估不同渔具对鳜资源的影响,于2007年5月和12月对长江中游浅水湖泊肖四海湖刺网、延绳钓、网簖、电拖网和电捕仪5种渔具捕获的鳜渔获物结构特征进行了调查分析.结果发现,共采集鳜样本359尾,全长分布范围为92 ～600 mm,优势全长集中于251～350 mm;体质量分布范围为10～3 380 g,优势体质量集中于300 ～500 g.种群由5个年龄组构成,2～3龄为优势龄组,占总数的74.6％.刺网、延绳钓和网簖对鳜有较强的捕捞选择性,网目大小为80 mm和100 mm刺网的鳜渔获物中2龄及以上成熟个体占总数的93.3％,个体平均体质量466 g,“标鳜”(0.4 ～0.75 kg)个体占总数量的57.0％;延绳钓捕获的鳜渔获物中2龄及以上成熟个体占总数的86.9％,“标鳜”个体占总数量的43.5％;网簖捕获的鳜渔获物中90％以上为1龄的未成熟个体.电拖网和电捕仪捕获的鳜全长范围明显较大,其渔获物以1龄和2龄个体为主.综合分析表明,刺网适于作为鳜捕捞的主要渔具,延绳钓可以作为一种鳜捕捞的辅助渔具.网簖对鳜补充群体有较大危害,不适于作为鳜的捕捞网具.电拖网和电捕仪均属于违法渔具,对鳜资源危害巨大,应该加大监管力度,严禁使用.     

The equivalent resistance and power requirements of electric fishing electrodes

Abstract  The empirical relationship between different sizes of electric fishing anodes, water conductivity and equivalent resistance was modelled for a range of electric fishing ring anode designs currently in use. In addition, equivalent resistance values were measured for several cathode designs. Knowledge of the equivalent electrode resistance allowed determination of the input power required to energise an electric fishing system for a range of water conductivities, circuit voltages and electrical waveforms. The values of equivalent electrode resistance did not correspond well with values obtained from previously published theoretical methods for calculating equivalent electrode resistance.     

Effects of fish stocking and fishing pressure on fish community structures in French lakes

Fish stocking and regulation of fishing activities are widely implemented by freshwater fisheries authorities who have to protect aquatic communities. The effects of fish management on fish communities have not received sufficient attention. As a result of two datasets, one from EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) monitoring surveys, and one from a French survey targeting angler's associations, this study investigated the impacts of both fishing intensity and fish stocking on fish communities in French lakes. Both co-inertia analysis and community size spectra analysis, showed that: (i) stocking does not contribute to the standing stocks for five of the six most stocked fish species in France; and (ii) neither fishing intensity nor fish stocking lead to a change in the proportion of large and small fish. The results support alternative methods being promoted to enhance native fish populations.     

Vulnerability-size effects of electric fishing on population estimate, size distribution and mean weight of a sea trout, Salmo trutta L., stock

A dynamic mark-recapture electric fishing study on sea trout, Salmo trutta L., was carried out from July 1989 to January 1990. There was a significant difference in the recapture probability ( P = R / M ) between small (24–39 cm) and large (40–84 cm) sea trout with P- values of 0.31 and 0.62, respectively (χ² = 16.52, P < 0.001). The vulnerability-size relationship resulted in a slight overestimation of population size (2.5%) using the Petersen method by adding the two size classes together in the computations. Separate computations for the two size classes had no significant effect upon the estimate of the seasonal length distributions but a significant effect on the estimates of total length distribution ( P < 0.001) and the mean weight of the mature stock ( P < 0.001). The present data emphasises that size-selectivity should be taken into account in electric fishing studies on adult sea trout.     

Comparison of three standardised fish sampling methods in 14 alpine lakes in Austria

Abstract Standardised fishing methods using gillnets (EN 14575), electric fishing (EN 14011) and hydroacoustics (WI 00230244 CEN enquiry) to estimate species composition, abundance, biomass and size distribution were compared in 14 alpine lakes >50 ha. More fish species were detected using benthic gillnets (mean = 72.7%) than electric fishing (mean = 59.5%) and pelagic gillnets (mean = 29.6%). For all but two lakes, additional information from a local fisheries manager was required to obtain a complete list of species. Biomass data generated by standardised gillnetting and hydroacoustic surveys were not fully comparable, but a positive correlation was found. Gill netting and hydroacoustics both indicated a nearly fishless habitat below 75 m, which confirmed the maximum required fishing depth according to the European Standard EN 14757. Size distributions obtained from gillnet and hydroacoustic surveys differed statistically for large fish (>40 cm). Each standardised method reflected typical shortcomings. The European standard (EN 14757) should be amended for pelagic fish habitat in deep alpine lakes to include sampling effort corresponding to water volume, and additional gillnets with larger mesh sizes (e.g. 70 mm). Furthermore, the electric fishing standard (EN 14011) should be extended to incorporate requirements of lake fish sampling.     

Correlates of lake use by breeding common scoters in Scotland

1. Many populations of sea‐ducks, which typically winter at sea but breed on fresh water, are declining. Numbers of common scoters Melanitta nigra (L.) breeding in Scotland halved between 1995 and 2007, despite most breeding sites having special conservation status. To identify potential conservation measures, a 3‐year study was conducted, investigating correlates of lake use by scoters. 2. At 26 scoter breeding lakes, food abundance (macroinvertebrates) and foraging habitats (substrates, water depth) were measured, and their associations with scoter lake use explored using multi‐model inference. Correlates of macroinvertebrate abundance (water quality, fish abundance) were also investigated. 3. Averaged over 3 years (2009–2011), these lakes held 26.7 (SE 6.3) females, around half the Scottish breeding population. Scoters occurred more often at lakes having abundant large‐bodied invertebrates and extensive shallow water. Lakes where the average weight of the largest invertebrate in each sample exceeded 4 mg had 9.2 times (females) or 27 times (broods) more scoter records than other lakes. Lakes where water depths (10 m from the shore) averaged less than 1.3 m had 2.5 times (females) or 12 times (broods) more scoter records than other lakes. 4. The abundance of large‐bodied invertebrates was greater where small fish species (mostly three‐spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus) were more common and brown trout Salmo trutta were scarcer. 5. Results suggest two approaches to scoter conservation. At lakes used for hydro‐electricity generation, water level regimes that provide extensive shallow water should be tested to see if these benefit scoters. At lakes used for trout fishing, trout reduction by increased angling should be trialled, to see if this increases large‐invertebrate abundance and scoter use. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using angling and electric fishing to estimate smallmouth bass abundance in a river

Estimating abundance is fundamental to effective fishery management but can be challenging in a river where spatial and temporal heterogeneity may preclude the consistent use of a single sampling gear and different gears have differing size selectivity and capture probabilities of fish. In this study, the number of smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu Lacepède, was estimated based on mark–recapture data from angling and boat electric fishing in a 4.2‐km regulated section (mean width = 115 m) of the Broad River, South Carolina, USA. Closed‐population capture–mark–recapture models were fit in the Bayesian hierarchical modelling framework with an estimated number of 2,380 fish (95% credible interval: 1,578–3,693) over 200 mm TL, although simulations indicated that abundance would be slightly overestimated (<20%) when two gears selected for different individuals. Integrating two gear types into a mark–recapture study can provide a method for assessing abundance in spatially or temporally heterogeneous habitats.     

Role of small-scale fishing in Kompong Thom Province, Cambodia

ABSTRACT:   Household surveys of small-scale fishing were conducted in Svay Ear and Srey Rangit villages in Kompong Thom Province, Cambodia. Data were collected from 104 of 183 households and 105 of 140 households in Svay Ear and Srey Rangit, respectively. In both villages, almost all households conducted rice cultivation and approximately 75% of them also conducted fishing. Three fishing groups: (i) inside lake; (ii) around lake; and (iii) around village were observed in both villages, according to their main fishing grounds. The inside lake group conduct fishing only in Tonle Sap Lake which is located 30 km away from the villages. The around lake group fish in lakes, marshes and flooded forests adjacent to Tonle Sap Lake, which are more than 5 km from the villages. The around village group collects fish from rice fields and ponds located inside the villages and also in some streams, rivers and lakes adjacent to the villages. The distance to the fishing grounds is less than 5 km from the villages. Most fishing groups were the inside and around lake groups, which occupied 76.0 and 65.7% of Svay Ear and Srey Rangit, respectively. These two groups produced 80.6 and 69.7% of the respective village annual total fish catches. These two groups sold a large portion of their fish catches. Although previous reports indicated that small-scale fishing is for subsistence, present results indicated that small-scale fishing was commercially conducted and fishing was important as an income source.     

Changes in a coral reef fishery along a gradient of fishing pressure in an Indonesian marine protected area

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Ice fishing reveals size structure but not abundance of Eurasian perch in small boreal lakes

Management of inland recreational fisheries would benefit from stock abundance and size structure data. Feasibly standardised angling methods such as ice fishing could produce representative catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) information on the abundance of different-sized fish in small lakes. Here, we first used standard Nordic multimesh gillnets to obtain number-per-unit-effort (NPUE), biomass-per-unit-effort (BPUE) and size structure data on Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) stocks in 11 small boreal lakes in summer. Second, the same lakes were ice-fished by voluntary anglers using a pre-defined, loosely standardised protocol to obtain angling-based NPUE, BPUE, and length frequency distributions. Effects of environmental variables such as water oxygen concentration and light penetration on angling catch rates were controlled statistically. Neither perch Nordic gillnet NPUE nor BPUE corresponded to ice-fishing CPUEs. However, the length distribution of the catch did not differ between methods. Our results imply that traditional ice fishing applying natural baits is relatively unselective for fish size and could produce valid length-based indicators for management purposes while angling CPUE was poorly related to Nordic gillnet CPUE.     

挪威海洋捕捞及渔船管理概述

本文概要介绍了挪威海洋捕捞业和渔船管理状况:2011年,捕捞量230万t,产值159亿挪威克朗(约26.8亿美元);渔民数量12 791人,渔船数量6 252艘;近10年的捕捞量基本稳定,年均捕捞量为250万t,与此同时,渔船和渔民数量则呈持续下降态势,说明挪威渔船的捕捞能力显著增强,捕捞效率明显提升。挪威的渔业管理制度和法规建设比较完善,这为控制捕捞强度、保护海洋渔业资源奠定了法律基础。挪威的经验具有借鉴意义。我国现阶段以实行渔船控制等投入控制制度为主、其他管理方式为辅的渔业资源管理制度,比较符合我国实际。实践证明,减船转产政策是控制捕捞渔船规模和降低海洋捕捞强度行之有效的措施之一。     

Effect of hook type and hook setting method on deep-hooking rates when bait fishing for trout in lentic waters

Fishing with circle hooks along with prescribed hook-setting methods can reduce deep-hooking rates in some fisheries, but baited circle hooks have not been evaluated in stillwater trout fisheries. Deep-hooking rates and catch probabilities were compared for cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii​ (Richardson), rainbow trout Oncorhyncus mykiss (Walbaum), cutthroat × rainbow trout hybrids, and brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis (MItchill) caught using three types of baited hooks (circle, intermediate circle and traditional J) and two hook-setting methods (active and passive) in several lakes containing naturally reared trout. Hook type had a negligible effect on deep-hooking rates, which averaged 20%. Actively setting the hook and fishing with a bobber both reduced deep-hooking rates, regardless of hook type. Larger fish were deeply hooked more frequently regardless of hook type. Catch probabilities were higher when active rather than passive hook-setting was used, particularly in combination with intermediate circle hooks. The present results, which indicate that circle hook use did not reduce deep hooking in lentic settings, contrast earlier studies done in lotic waters. Therefore, before proposing hook-type regulations intended to reduce deep hooking, fisheries managers should consider waterbody type in addition to fishing methods, fish size and species.     

An assessment of yellow perch, Perca flavescens, stocking contributions in eastern South Dakota lakes

The success and value of yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), stocking programmes are largely unknown because of the difficulties in differentiating between naturally recruited and translocated stocks. To determine stocking contributions of yellow perch, fingerlings and adults were collected from natural rearing ponds in south-eastern South Dakota. Prior to stocking, all fish were marked for 6 h in transfer tanks containing 700 mg L⁻¹ oxytetracycline hydrochloride. Six lakes containing yellow perch populations were supplemented at low, medium and high stocking densities of about 25, 135 or 200 fish ha⁻¹, respectively. Yellow perch populations were subsequently sampled with experimental gill nets during late summer; two lakes were resampled with additional gears (electric fishing, trap nets and cloverleaf traps). Yellow perch were processed for routine measurements, and saggital otoliths were removed to determine the origin of the fish. Stock contribution estimates determined from gill-net samples for Island (low), Oak (low), Twin (medium) and Wall (high) lakes were approximately 18, 5, 41, and 38%, respectively. Samples from other gears provided stock contributions of 15 and 10% for Cavour Lake and 41% for Diamond Lake (high density stockings). Although these results showed that supplemental stockings were successful, variability in stock contributions among populations indicates a need for further assessment of variables that may influence the stocking success of yellow perch.