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electrofishing course manualThe program meets current provincial Worker's Compensation Board (WCB) requirements for electrofisher certification. Please confirm your requirements prior to commencing with electrofishing field work. Your employer or applicable 'workers compensation board' will have further information. In BC, mandatory first aid training courses for all persons involved in an electrofishing operation are an appropriate first aid course having a CPR component. Although recommended to be in-place prior to this course, First Aid training may be completed following completion of this Electrofishing course. This requirement may change per province, and all course participants are advised to contact their provincial Workers' Compensation Board office for further details. Note that special refund deadlines are stated for some courses, and we are unable to issue refunds after those deadlines - information will appear in the intake's details available on the NREP schedule page. Please note: A full refund is issued if a course is cancelled. Research teams that are working on MAISRC or FWCB affiliated projects are able to receive access to electrofishing equipment by completing the Electrofishing Boat Access Request form. Please review the use policies and safety training requirements detailed below, prior to completing an access request. The following link will take you to the course listing. Once you're at the course listing, select the register link, which will start the registration process. When you receive your registration information from the USFWS you can enroll for the course. Obtaining a course registration code can take 1-3 days. Here is the link to the USFWS 2-hour online training course. Field training can be done with experienced users within your lab group or through Mark Hove or Jay Maher. This certification needs to be renewed every two years. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Privacy Statement.http://enter.in.ua/admin/fckeditor/editor/filemanager/connectors/php/userfiles/dbx-905-manual.xml

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Electrofishing is the main sampling technique for Water Framework Directive (WFD) and for conservation-relevant fish sampling surveys in lotic freshwaters (e.g. Habitat Directive applications). This manual aims to guide and promote scientific electrofishing, focusing first on safety and providing an interpreted protocol for standardized ichthyological data collection.This version the manual is designed to provide assistance to field workers in routine fish sampling, primarily employing electrofishing methods in streams and rivers. Electrofishing is the main sampling technique for Water Framework Directive (WFD) and for conservation- relevant fish sampling surveys in lotic freshwate rs (e.g. Habitat Directive applications). This manual aims to guide and promote scientific electrofishing, focusing first on safety and providing an interpreted protocol for standardized ichthyological data collection. 2. Who this manual is addressed to Scientific sampling of fi sh assemblages in inland waters is not commonplace in Greece or other Balkan or Ea stern Mediterranean countries. Standardized and replicable techniques have rarely been applied by official research agencies. As policy-relevant conservation and management applications move forward, more organisations and individuals will probably be involved in inland waters fish surveys in the future. Students and volunteering memb ers of the publi c may also accompany field survey teams. With increased policy obligations for fish-based bioassessment in both river management and nature conservation, scientifically sound sampling of inland waters fishes should expand as it has the rest of Europe. Field fish su rveys involve health and safety risks an d require specialised training, standardization of sampling and informed c ollection methods, technical effectiveness, and special consideration for biodiversity conservation.http://poznanapartament.pl/userfiles/dbx-904-manual.xml Producing safety guidelines will help those involved in fish sampling to greatly redu ce health hazards a nd environmental risks during sampling. Further more, this guidance aims to promote methods for standardising fish sampling, in order to make surveys repeatable and data collection comparable for monitoring applications. 3. How to use this manual Version 1 of this manual is provided in a provisional draft form, for initi al guidance and peer review. Th is manual includes the following: a) electrofishing health and safety guidance; b) electrofishing guidance on theoretical and practical aspects; and c) guidance on using the HCMR’s rapid fish sampling protocol s. Briefing all members of field work teams conducting fish sampling. Informing all interested parties and stakeholders who are directly or indirectly involved in inland waters fish sampling, surveying and monitoring. Guiding good-practice, conservation awareness and standardisation in fish sampling techniques. Pr oviding a framework for specialis ed training seminars. The issue of best-practice and standardization in electrofishing operations in Greece and the adjacent regions is in an early stage of development. This manual is a document for guidance and adaptive development. In terms of field safety issues, by adopting guidelines it should not be necessary for institutions to increase b ureaucracy prior to routine electrofishing surveys. Obviousl y many instances of field work can be demonstrabl y assessed as low risk. Field sampling ca n be assessed as a low risk activity if careful planning and consideration for safety issues are judiciously applied. Furthermore, scientists must be careful not to impact the ecosystems and fish populations they sample. And again, this re quires increased awareness, understanding of the specific problems and training. 4. Future steps for improvement of this operations man ual Future versions of the manual will include amendments and revisions.http://schlammatlas.de/en/node/21897 Finally, the work will also be translated in the Gree k language.Trainin g and following common sense safety procedures are crucial in minimising the probability of accidents. B ecause accidents are rare in inland waters fish sampling, it is easy to become complacent and ignore some dangers. However, we should remember that accidents may easil y occur in field work. Field experience shows that potentially dangerous aspects of field work include the following risk categories: 1) Travel and vehicle related accidents to and from field sampling sites. 2) Accidents during sampling, involving trauma particularly from slips and falls and the extremely unlikely event of drowning. 3) Accidents concerning equipment failure or misuse. 4) Accidents or health risks due to extreme weather conditions and river conditions (extreme weather events, flooding, artificial river flood-flow patterns etc). 5) Other unlikely threats related to disease infection and conflicts with animals and people. A simple review of safety issues in field conditions can be found in: Greece and the adjacent Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean regions host conditions that are very similar to other southern Europe an c ountries and usually pos e re latively low risk for field work in streams, river corridors and wetlands. An awareness of any risks is important to avoiding dangerous situations. Driving safety: vehicle-related injury is probably the most common and serious threat during sampling trips, either whe n travelling or near sampling sites. I n Greece, mos t rural roads are poorl y maintained and sometimes poorly signed. Drowning is a possible hazard even in rather shallow fast- flowing waters and in lakes. Personnel must be well trained and cautious; the ability to wade safely in a fast -flowing stream or river is gained by practice. Still, it is highly recommended not to wade when one is not sure about personnel safety.http://www.ligureclub.com/images/737-800-flight-attendant-manual.pdf Scheduling sampling at another time of the y ear, usually far at the end of the dry season, or searching for a more ap propriate sampling sites nearby, usually is the best solution to this risk. Dangers of electrocution are obviously p riority (see below). But simple mistakes can cause problems. When netting fish for example, care needs to be taken not to hit other workers with the net poles. Grievous injury can be caused in this manner, especially if the end o f a net pole is pushed into the face of another member. Workers must not work if particularly tiried, ill or under severe time constraints. Heat-wave conditions during summer or storms can cause dangerous situations. Proper care must be taken in such cases; for summer work: hats, long sleeve shirts and a drinkable freshwater stock are necessary. Observing storm or precipitation levels is im portant to avoid storm-conditions and torrential flash-floods. Torrential flash flooding have claimed several lives even in small river basins in Greece. Flood hydro-peaking from hydro-electric installations are also a common artificial flooding problem. These hydro- peaking flows may also be affected or increased by adverse weather conditions. Lastly, in there is no reason to electrofish in the rain; the threat of lightning is an obvious danger. ? Shepherd guard dogs: Especially around sheep-folds or livestock do gs may attack workers. Rabies has re cently r e-surfaced in Greece and special care must be taken of stray dogs everywhere in the country. Particular behaviour around do gs can help avoid any such incident of attack. This may be potentiall y dangerou s during autumn, especially during earl y morning hours or in poor visibility. In such cases wearing bright clothes and talking loud when moving thr ough vegetation, so that everyone is aware of human presence, is highly advisable. ? Other animal or wildlife risks: Mosquitoes and ticks are widespread in Greece and pose specific serious threa ts (see below). Bees and w asp bites are common and particularly dangerous in case of allergic shock. The tea m leader must be prepared to re act to such an event (first-aid, evacuation procedure). Snakes and spiders are much less of a danger; the risk is certainly mi nimal and exaggerated, but common sense is r equired. In Greece, only the viper species (Viperidae) are venomous to humans though non-aggressive, they do not pose a serious threat if simple precautions are taken. In the extremely unlikely event of a viper bite, one must seek medica l assistance and keep calm. Emergency phone numbers and planned routes to the nearest medical facilities should always be at hand. I t should be said that there are very few other animals that will bother humans (especially humans in a group). The extremely unlikel y encounter with Brown Bear in a sensitive situation (with cub or with food-carcass) is a possibility in riparian zones, particularly in Northern Gr eece. Personnel should be informed about the best way to behave in areas with relatively high bear densities (as indicated by tracks and scat). Also, it goes without saying that any seemingly “suspicious” behaviour near military sites must be avoided. ? Authority controls: During investigative sampling, especially near international borders, authority controls, including police and military c ontrols are c ommon. Keep personnel relaxed, alwa ys display official paperwork proving your scientific expedition, and cooperate with relative a uthorities. Perhaps an increased potential for any kind of assault may exist near larger cities or small shanties and Roma camps. River corridors are also sometimes used for illegal cannabis cultivation and surveys could create suspicion. During investigative sampling, local advice about any such problems should be sought. 2. Special Considerations Protection from Mosquitoes For over 40 y e ars Greece enjoyed immunity from mosquito -borne diseases, and people are not especially careful of mosquito bites. During the last few years Malaria has resurf aced and localized incidents of We st Nile Virus have occurred. Important points to consider for protecting the team members from mosquito bites include. Using mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes hone in on colour contrast and movement. ? Treating your clothes with permethrin repellents. Do not use permethrins on your skin! ? Avoiding perfumes, colognes, fragrant hair spra ys, lotions and soaps which attract mosquitoes. ? Reduce your risk of exposure by not working in prime mosquito habitat during mosquito activity peak feeding hours (dusk and at dawn). Weil’s disease and Lyme disease At the field, crew must be aware of the hazard of Weil’s disease ( Leptos pyrosis ) and Lyme Disease ( Lyme borreliosis ). Weil’s disease is associated with contac t with contaminated river and canal waters. To minimise the risk: 1. Properly clean and cover with waterproof plaster any wound such as scratches and cuts To minimise the risk: 1. Wear appropriate clothing to cover skin. In the field the team leader is responsible for following safety procedures. If any member of the team should identify a hazardous situation they are to immediately notify the team leader. Hazardous situations or any accidents must also be recorded in the field protocol (under Miscellaneous information) in order to inform future sampling. ? Basic first aid training is essential for all the team members. Special focus must be given on administrating assistance in cases of electrocution (when el ectrofishing), drowning, falls, cuts, sun stroke, choking, minor and major injuries. ? A first aid kit must always be available and the route to the neare st medical facilities should always be planned. Contact numbers for police, ambulance and fi re department should always be available. ? As the most common hazards of field surve ys are cuts, slips, water-borne disease infection, heat exhaustion, hypothermia and drowning a trained response to these problems should be routine. Appropriate field clothing is required to minimize those risks. In hot temperatures care should be taken in order to avoid heat exhaustion and sunstrokes. Life jackets are required in deeper wading conditions and must alway s be worn in boat surveys. ? Presence of glass or sharp metallic pieces is frequent in river beds. All personnel should be cautious when w ading especiall y when rive r bed visibility is low. In case of rusty metals further caution is required, especially if a team member is not immunised. Special consideration is required at sites where point discharges substantially increase the water volume. This holds particularly true when sampling downstream of dams, where water may suddenly be released from the spillways. ? The survey should be carried out only when local conditions allow for safe sampling. S afety checklists, filled out prior to the sampling at each site, are recommended. In addition to the risks associated with all types of river fie ld surveys, the possibilit y of an electrical shock, temporary incapacitation and electrical burns n eeds t o be taken into account. Those risks are greatly minimised if the app ropriate working procedures are followed. In this section we will go over the main safety concerns and the health and safety guidelines that everyone should be familiar with before using electrofishing equipment. Staff should be in good health condition and fit for the task, to participate in an electrofishing survey. People suffering from known heart conditions should not participate in electrofishing surveys. Team members should be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). A guide on CPR should be handed out to all members of the team. If new equipment is used trained members need to revisit training. For safety reasons a minimum of three people should carry out the surveys. Protective equipment Protective g ear made of non-conducting materials, should be worn b y al l members of the staff. ? Thigh or chest waders made from non-conducting material, frequently inspected for leakage. If leakage occurs, the staff member must be removed from the water. ? Protective rubber gloves covering h ands and forearms, frequently ins pected for leakage. Onl y personnel wearing protective gloves are to come into contact with the water while the electrical current is on. ? Life jackets are recommended in depths greater than knee level, unless the staff member is wearing a dry suit. ? Clothing should not have a ny metallic components that may influence th e electrical field or parts that are sticking out and may become entangled with cables or nets.Under no circumstances should anyone touch the water during operation unless the electrofishing gear is verified to be switched off or they are wearing rubber gloves:.This kind of sampling is rarely c apable of being standardized (or repeatable) so it is therefore inappropriate for monitoring routines as well. ? all personnel must be fu lly familiar with the operation of the equipment before being allowed to use it for electrofishing. Fish when the crew is extremely tired Refuel generators w hen the system is off and surfaces have cooled down. Review training and standardization aspects of electrofishing operation before a campaign. Prepare a first aid kit and refresh it often. Fish near electricity po les or other areas were electricity may enter water Fish near hydro-peaking areas down -stream of discharge chann els were frequent flood pulses occur Rest often during electfrofishing. Be alert and conscious. Before going out on the field, proper training from an experienced electrofishing operator-trainer is required in:.The best precaution against outdoor dan gers or risks in field work is professional training. Personnel must undergo training before participating in a field survey. Boat safet y training is an absolute requirement for boat survey s. There are many forms of formal and informal training structures (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Conceptual diagram of the basic train ing programme (Source: W.R.C. Beaumont). When set- up and used properly the method should cause no lasting harm to the fish. However, when incorrectly set-up or used by inexperienced operators harm can be done to both fish and operators. For this reason it is important that operators are suitably trained. The technique has many advantages over other methods available to fishery workers for capturing fish and it is presently the main-stay method for sampling fish in relatively shallow freshwaters; being used for tasks as wide-ranging as population estimation, broodstock removal and pest species removal. The effectiveness of fishing is affected by several factors, thus appropriate equipment set up, in order to sample effectively and without getting fish harm ed is a challenge. Knowledge of baseline theory and electrical current attributes is essential. Whilst it is possible to capture fish without knowing how the technique works, knowled ge of the funda mentals will enhance catch efficiency and help reduce fish injury.In electrofishing, when the electricity is applied in to water (via the electrodes) it spreads ar ound the electrodes creating a voltage gradient or fi eld of d ecreasing intensity with increasing distance from the electrodes. Fig. 2. Schematic drawing of voltage gradien t around an electrode (voltage between the lines is constant). The circuit voltage that needs to be applied to create a voltage gradient at the electrodes that will attract and immobilise fish will vary according to:.Simply increasing the voltage alone will lead to high power consumpti on and it will have a stronger, possibl y harmful effect on fish. High volt ages are related to vertebrae injuries and prolongation of the recovery time. It should be noted that it is the current or power density that actually affects the fish and that voltage is just one of the ways we can alter that value (the other being with pulse width). Ideally, voltage should be limited to what is required in order to create a cu rrent gradient sufficient to immobilize fish within it’s’ field, but from which they recover the moment they Voltage can be described and measured in a number of ways. Peak voltage ( V pk ) is the maximum voltage attained i.e. zero to maximum value. Peak- to -peak ( V pp ) is the minimum to maximum values; it is used for voltages that h ave a negative component to them, e.g. AC. Root-mean-square voltage ( V rms ) is the equivalent steady dc voltage that would transfer the same power into the water. In simple ter ms it can b e likened to average voltage over time. For steady dc both Vpk and Vrms methods will give the same r eading; and Vpp equ als zero. For pulsed volta ges, however, Vpk and Vrms will give a diff erent answer. Peak voltage will measure the maximum voltage attained by the pulse, while the rms value will be lower. Most standard voltmeters can mea sure either steady dc voltage or ac voltage; if used on pdc waveforms they will give Vrms values. Only specialised Digital Volt Meters (DVM) and oscilloscopes can measure the peak (and peak- to -peak) voltage of pulsed currents. Current Electrical current is the quantity of charge moving through a c ircuit per unit of time i.e. the coulombs per second; it is measured in Amperes (Amps). It dissipates around the electrodes and its density decreases with increasing distance. The shape of the electric current field is determined by the shape of the electrode. High current densities may be as harmful for fish as high voltage. Many consider that current density is the most significant factor in determining a fish’s reaction to an electrical fi eld. By integrating a measure of water conductivit y into the parameter it also enables standardisation of outputs in differing conductivity water. There are two principal waveforms of elec trical c urrent, alternating (bipolar) current (AC) and direct (unipolar) current (DC). Direct current is subdivided into continuous (smooth) direct current and pulsed direct current (PDC). Alternating Current The electrodes are not permanently char ged and the current flows in one direction until a maximum is reached and then the polarity is reversed. This re verse is repeated many times for every second (usually 60). AC has many advantages. It is easily generated even when using small generators, fish response is elicited wit h low voltage and the re is low variabilit y due to site ph ysical characteristics. However, it does not have a strong attraction potential (especially when fish Moreover, fish tetanus and mortality rates a re si gnificantly higher than DC (Beaumont et al. 2002). It is also considered to be less safe to operate. For all the above AC mu st not be used for electrofishing. Continuous Direct Current (DC) Direct current only flows in one direction; f rom the cathode (negativel y charged electrode) to the anode (positively charged electrode). The flow of the current between the electrodes is continuous. DC creates a smooth electrical field, thus it is less likely to cause tetanus to fish, compared to AC or PDC. With the exception of high DC currents which might lead to tetanus, fish usually experiences a state of non harmfull narcosis. This inhibits movement but does no t cause muscle spasms. If not in tetanus, fish will usuall y recover instantly when the current is switched off. While DC is more efficient in attracting fish, immobilisation is ha rder to achieve. Site-specific physio-chemical factors, such as streambed conductivit y, greatl y affect smooth DC waveforms. Voltage gradients needed to attract fish are much high er, compared to PDC. Additionally, continuous nature of the current mean s that the waveform has a higher po wer demand than for other waveform types. This may be particularly problematic when using backpack equipment or small generators, especiall y in high conductivities where the power required to maintain current is higher. Fish reaction in DC electrical field depends mainly on the prox imity to the anode and the direction in which the fish is swimming. Ta ble 2 shows the phases of r eaction that fish go through when they encounter an electrical field of DC waveform, facing towards and awa y from the anode. Spasmodic swimming: The current stimulates the fish motor nerves, the fish may try to escape to the indifference zone. Half turn to the anode: If the anode is brought closer to the fish after the previous phase, stimulation of the nervous system may cause the fish to move so as to start facing the anode. After these phases the fish reacts the same way as if it was originally facing the anode. Tetanus: Caution is needed since the fish may already be too close to the anode by the time it has completed its’ turn. Fish facing away from the anode Alignment - Anodic curvature: The fish is influenced by the field across its length and it may be required to move the anode closer to it to induce a reaction. The nerves on the side facing the anode are stimulated causing the fish to “bend” towards the anode. Afterwards the fish reacts the same way as if it was originall y facing the anode. Fish facing sideways the anode Pulsed Direct Current (PDC) Instead of a continuous current (DC) the current is pulsed (PDC). PDC is usually a unidirectional t ype of current i.e. no negative component. Physico-chemical variability does not affect pulsed DC to the same extend as direct current. Attraction is achieved using lower voltage gradients and this together with the current being turned on intermittentl y results in a significantly lower power demand (often only 25 of that for DC ). The attraction zone of pulsed DC is smaller tha n for continuous DC. PDC is less efficient t han DC in drawing fish from cover. Instead of stimulating the fish’s nervous system, attraction is achieved by direct impact on the muscles.If the fish is not rapidly removed from the electrical field, tetanus may occur.Research indicated that a ste ep leading edge t o the waveform provided the maxim um physiological effect on the fish. This waveform is achieved by removing the leading part of a rectified waveform. Further research however indicated that the efficiency of this.Most of the newer designs of pulse box use square waveforms. This waveform combines the advantage of good ph ysiological effect, with the ability to control and replicate pulse duration and frequency, thus allowing standardised power to be used. Exponential pulse or capacitance discharge waveforms are produced by charging a capacitor, which is then discharged throu gh the electrodes. Because this discharge is of short duration this pattern has the advantage that high voltages are available for fishing, whilst, because pulse width is small, loading on the power sourc e is small (i.e. rms voltage is low). Some advantages may be o btained from this waveform in terms of reducing fish injur y and for conserving power (30 of square wave) when it is limited e.g. very conductive water or when using battery-powered equipment. Modern electrofishing control boxes also have the facility to produc e a varie ty of non- standard waveforms. However, the principles behind these (e.g. decreasing pulse interval, high to low frequency variation) are probably not valid in real-life situations and, until evidence shows some benefit from their use, they are best avoided. Pulse Frequency Pulse frequenc y is the number of pulses generated per se cond; it is measured in H ertz (Hz). High frequencies (above 100 Hz) have been shown to inj ure fish more than lower frequencies, so fishing should alwa ys be carried out at the lowest f requency possible. Different species of fish have also been shown to react more to some frequencies than others.Altering the pulse width will affect the overall amount of electrical energy imparted into the fish and will also affect the pow er demand of the equipment. A 25 duty cycle will use half the power that a 50 duty cycle would (and.It does not influence the attraction potentia l of the current, like frequency do es, but increasing the duration of pulses may increase the immobilization efficiency. Duty c ycles of between 10 and 50 have also been shown to have the largest difference between the power ne eded to immobilize the fish and to tetanise them, thus increasing the safety factor for the fish. This is particularly so in high conductivity water where increasing the pulse width (up to a maximum of 50 duty cycle) can help immobilize fish. Values above 50 duty cycle have been found to be ineffective in improving immobi lization. Values below 10 duty c ycle have been found to need hig her voltages to r emain effective. However, Beaumont et al. (2000) found catch efficiency of a 3 dut y c ycle was similar to a 36 duty c ycle comparison, but had muc h higher catch per unit power. Resistance and Conductivity The electrical resistance of a substance is its opposition to the passage of an electric current through it. It’s measured in Ohms (?). Th e inverse metric is electrical conductance, me aning the ease with which an electric current passes through a substance, measured in Siemens (S). Electrical resistivity is a measure of how strongly a specific materia l resists the flow of an electric current. For this reason conductivity values are usually temperature corrected to what the value would be at 25.