Advanced Electrofishing
Register your interest and we will email you the moment enrollment opens.
Each NRTG course includes free, lifetime admission. Enrol once – come back anytime.
Backpack electrofishing is one of the most commonly used fish capture techniques in freshwater. NRTG’s Electrofishing Certification course gets you equipped and operating safely. This course takes you further, building on that foundation with a brief review of core electrofishing concepts before moving into when backpack electrofishing is the right tool, how fish habitat and site conditions influence your results, and how to adjust your approach for different species, sites, and objectives.
Drawing on decades of field experience, this course gives fisheries professionals practical, scenario-based guidance for making confident decisions in the field, so your operations stay safe and your data holds up.
This course is self-paced. Work through it on your own schedule, with no fixed class dates.
Program Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the principles of electrofishing, including electrical concepts, fish response to electric fields, equipment components, and safety requirements.
- Determine appropriate fish capture methods, including when backpack electrofishing is suitable, based on project objectives, fish biology, habitat characteristics, site conditions, and operational constraints.
- Assess watershed features, stream habitats, microhabitats, and sensitive areas to identify effective, safe, and environmentally responsible electrofishing approaches.
- Select appropriate electrofishing waveforms, equipment settings, and field strategies for different fish species, habitat conditions, and sampling objectives.
- Evaluate electrofishing scenarios to identify strategies that maximize catch efficiency while minimizing risks to personnel, fish, and aquatic habitats.
Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites are required to register. A current backpack electrofishing certification is strongly encouraged, since this course builds directly on those skills.
If you do not yet hold this certification, consider completing NRTG’s Electrofishing Certification course first.
Certification
To successfully complete the Advanced Electrofishing course, you must complete all online modules. Certification will be awarded upon course completion.
Who attends?
This course is for you if you want to build stronger technical and decision-making skills in backpack electrofishing. You are a good fit if you:
- Have a background in backpack electrofishing and want to build on that experience
- Work in fisheries, aquatic monitoring, or environmental field programs that involve fish capture and sampling
- Want to better understand when backpack electrofishing is the right tool and how to adapt your approach to different habitats, fish species, and field conditions
- Lead or support electrofishing crews and want to improve sampling effectiveness and data quality
How do I attend?
Register for this course. Interested in a contract delivery for your organization or community group? Contact us.
This course runs fully online and self-paced through NRTG’s Learning Management System (LMS). There’s no time limit. Work through the material on your own schedule.
What should I bring or supply?
You will need:
- Laptop or computer with stable internet
- Notebook and pen
Customize Your Program
NRTG will work with you to build the right delivery for your team. Options include live online learning, in-person instruction, or a hybrid of both. We can also develop specialized content around specific species, habitats, or regional conditions relevant to your project.
Contact us to talk through what your program could look like.