Performance of Four Boat Electrofishers with Measured Electrode Resistances for Electrofishing Boats and Rafts

A misconception in the description of boat electrofishers has resulted from specifying their operational capabilities over ranges of water conductivity without any reference to the electrode configuration with which they will be used. Water conductivity alone is not the valid or most informative electrical variable for defining the operational characteristics of a boat electrofisher and its power supply, but its persistent usage has displaced the correct terminology: electrode resistance measured in ohms. Consequently, inherent design limitations and actual operating characteristics for specific boat electrofishers and their power sources as dictated by electrode resistance have remained undefined. Recognizing this dilemma, total electrode resistance (anodes plus cathodes) was measured for two electrode configurations, metal-hulled boats and inflatable whitewater rafts. Knowing the electrode resistances for these two electrofishing crafts (conductive versus nonconductive hulls) facilitated complete systems’ analyses, provided an analytical understanding of equipment settings, and identified the power capabilities for four boat electrofishers manufactured in the USA. In accordance with the equivalent electrode resistances of these two craft types, electrical load measurements were performed for four boat electrofishers (Smith-Root VVP 15B and GPP 5.0, the ETS Electrofishing MBS 1D-72A, and the Midwest Lake Electrofishing Systems MLES Infinity) to examine their pulsed-DC operational capacities over a range of simulated water conductivities. Graphical plots for each craft type provide an approximation of the range of water conductivity over which each boat electrofisher would be expected to sustain a power level that meets or exceeds power goals for successful electrofishing. This information should improve the understanding of the role of electrode resistance in dictating power demand from boat electrofishers. It should also aid in the selection of a boat electrofisher based on its capacity to sustain standardized power levels in the electrofishing craft in which they will be used and over the range of water conductivities encountered. Received June 14, 2012; accepted October 3, 2012