Eletrofisher Sum User manual

SUM
Electro-fisher
Manual
Poland
2017

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WHAT IS ELECTROFISHING ?
Scientists use electrofishing to survey fishes and monitor
the size of populations and determine the species in a
community. Whether using a boat or a backpack electroshocker,
the basic principle involves generating an electrical field in the
water to stun fish. When fish are stunned, they often times float
near the surface of the water and can be removed from the
electrical field.
How Do Fish Get Stunned?
When a fish swims into a weak electrical field, it may not be
affected at all. There is a threshold of electrical charge that must
be emitted into the water in order to affect the fish.
When the electrical charge in the water is sufficient to allow
transport of the charge across the nerve cells in the body, then
the fish's muscles will undergo involuntary contraction. The
contractions will lead to increased exercise of the muscle and a
build up of lactate in the blood stream. This process is very similar
to what happens to the muscles of a runner or a swimmer who
exerts a lot of exercise. The runner or swimmer may eventually
get a cramp in the muscle and cannot move it effectively. When
the fish cramps up, it floats to the surface and can be removed
from the electrical field. The process to stun a fish is usually -
10 seconds.
Once the fish is removed from the electric field, the Tidal
Bass Survey team places the fish in a live well with good aeration.
The aeration and cool temperatures are essential in the live well
because the fish has an oxygen debt that needs to be paid. Like
a runner or swimmer, the lactate in the blood stream and
cramping must be treated with rest and good oxygen supply.
While this period of recovery may take a short time in humans,

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the recovery time for fish is generally a minimum of 4 hours and
can range up to 12 hours.
Are you Stunning All the Fish?
Electrofishing is a widespread tool used for surveying black
bass because black bass are generally easily stunned by the
electric field. When stunned, all black bass are removed from the
water. However, not all black bass are likely stunned by the
electrofish boat. The electric field quickly weakens with distance
from the boat and with depth, so many fish in the area are never
affected. Some fish that have been stunned may even build up a
tolerance for the electric field. Many species also have
evolutionary adaptations that help them avoid the boat, such as
a keen lateral sensory system and eyesight. The black bass may
be able to see the boat coming and swim out of the way of the
electrical field. Many other species of fish, such as common carp
or longnose gar, have especially thick scales that protect them
from the electrical fields. Small fish, such as many minnows and
killifishes, have such a small body area that the electrical field
doesn't affect them.
Wh t is the Recovery Time?
Generally, fish recover almost immediately after they are
stunned by an electrofisher. They become oriented in the upright
position and begin swimming normally within 1 - 2 minutes. To
fully recover from the electrofishing, it can take 4 - 12 hours,
which depends on the amount of lactate in the blood (or the level
of stress the fish experiences) and habitat conditions. It may take
also longer for the fish to recover during late summer when
dissolved oxygen in the water is low.

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Connecting the electro-fisher
Sockets plus and minus (see photo) serve to install a
loading of electrofisher. The socket "+" is connected with cable
on the landing net. The socket "-" is connected with outer cable
with metal wire at the end (mass/minus) which is thrown into
water behind the boat or fisherman.
Cables of 12 Volt power supply are connected to the battery
"+" to "+" and "-". When user connects electrofisher in wrong
order - device will not work. User should correctly connect battery
to use electrofisher.
Socket "START" designed to connect a cable of steering by
the means of which the electrofisher is turned ON and OFF.
Green indicator shows the presence of high voltage on the outer
sockets of the electrofisher.
By the 2 knobs and display fisherman regulates and controls
parameters of the electrofisher.
Knob F serve to increase or decrease frequency of going out
impulses in accordance with clock direction.

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Knob P serve to increase or decrease output power of going out
impulses in accordance with clock direction.
The electrofishing is quite simple, however, it may seem to
be very complicated at the first sight.
The most important is to meet all cable connections and the
electrofishing device . To connect correctly device we should
install first the button of steering on landing net and to connect
the high voltage cable into the landing net. The button is the
common PRESS-REALEASE button this means that in moment
of pressing device switches ON and makes possible fishing and
in moment of releasing the button the electrofisher switches OFF.
This button we install on landing net - we attach it with
isolation to landing net in distances 30- 0 cm from end so that
we could easily operate the landing net and switch on the
electrofisher.
This button is connected with cables of steering output
power- if we press the button then the device switches ON- we
release the button then device switches OFF.
High-voltage cable - (up to 1200 Volt) we can install directly
to the hoop and to wind its rest on stick or what more comfortable
to place into the centre of plastic telescopic tube ( handle of
landing net).
To the socket OUT "+" of electrofisher we connect outer
cable which goes to the landing net. This must be installed on the
plastic landing net and the bare end of a cable must be fixed to
the metal (aluminium) ring of landing net. The other 2 cm bare
end we place in the socket OUT"+" .
To the outer socket OUT "-" we connect outer cable with
metal wire at the end ( mass/minus) and the metal copper end