Citation:

Flotemersch, J E. AND K A. Blocksom. ELECTROFISHING IN BOATABLE RIVERS: DOES SAMPLING DESIGN AFFECT BIOASSESSMENT METRICS? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-04/174 (NTIS PB2006-114609), 2004.

Impact/Purpose:

The goal of this research is to develop methods and indicators that are useful for evaluating the condition of aquatic communities, for assessing the restoration of aquatic communities in response to mitigation and best management practices, and for determining the exposure of aquatic communities to different classes of stressors (i.e., pesticides, sedimentation, habitat alteration).

Description:

Data were collected from 60 boatable sites using an electrofishing design that permitted comparisons of the effects of designs and distances on fish assemblage metrics. Sites were classified a priori as Run-of-the-River (ROR) or Restricted Flow (RF). Data representing four different design options (i.e., 1000 and 2000 m for both single and paired banks) were extracted from the dataset and analyzed.

Friedman tests comparing metric values among the designs detected significant differences for all richness metrics at both types of sites and for catch per unit effort and percent tolerant species at ROR sites. Richness metrics were generally higher for the two 2000-m designs than for the two 1000-m designs. When plotted against cumulative electrofishing distance, the percent change in metrics declined sharply within approximately 1000 m, after which metrics usually varied by less than 10 percent. These data demonstrate that designs electrofishing 1000 m of shoreline are sufficient for bioassessments on boatable rivers similar to those in this study, regardless of whether the shoreline is along a single bank or distributed equally among paired banks. However, at sites with depths > 4 m, it may be advisable to employ nighttime electrofishing or increase day electrofishing designs to 2000 m.

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