Description
Backpack electrofishing is a popular fish sampling methods used to capture and sample fish. The NRTG Electrofishing Certification course is a 1.5 day online and field-based training program where students learn how to operate a backpack electrofishing unit safely and effectively.
Program Outcomes
By the end of this course, course participants will be able to:
- Define electrofishing certification, standards and the practice of electrofishing
- Contrast and define the levels and responsibilities of Electrofishing Certification
- Identify mandatory and applicable Electrofishing standards and regulations
- Manage resistance, voltage and power in an electrofishing system
- Define and contrast electrical pulse types and electrical fields in water
- Contrast the types of electrofishing units and their components, features, limitations and capabilities
- Identify mandatory and optional personal protective gear
- Identify backpack electrofisher safety features
- Maintain and troubleshoot backpack electrofishers and associated field gear
- Interpret site conditions and adjust electrofishing settings to maximize catch efficiency
- Calculate appropriate electrofisher settings
- Identify best strategies to maximize catch efficiency while minimizing impacts
- Manage electrofisher power appropriately and effectively
- Identify key electrofishing safety procedures
- Respond effectively to an electrofishing-related field incident
- Conduct standard emergency response procedures
- Define crew size and structure
- Identify key factors influencing electrofishing in the field
- Identify and determine crew roles and responsibilities
- Conduct equipment checkout procedure(s) prior to beginning a field session
- Identify key fish habitats and best strategies to capture fish as a team
- Respond appropriately to potentially dangerous scenarios
- Communicate effectively with field crews and the general public
- Identify types of electrofishing field programs
- Identify and minimize fish impacts
- Practice safe and efficient fish sampling and handling
Prerequisites
A current and valid WorkSafeBC approved Electrofishing Certification and an approved Level One First Aid course (containing a CPR component) are also required for all practitioners conducting electrofishing field work.
Each NRTG course includes free, lifetime admission. Enrol once – come back anytime.
NRTG is the leading provider of electrofishing training in Canada. Since 1994, NRTG staff have successfully trained more than 10,000 Canadian industry practitioners in the practice of safe and effective electrofishing. NRTG personnel are highly respected and recognized leaders in the delivery of backpack and boat electrofishing certification training.
Who attends?
Course participants typically include current fisheries field technicians and biologists, other environmental professionals requiring electrofishing recertification or “refresher” training, resource workers, individuals new to the industry and graduates of other natural resource-related programs.
How do I attend?
This course is available for individual registration via our website schedule page, or on contract to organizations/community groups. Are interested in a contract delivery of this course? If so, please contact us.
What should I bring or supply?
Leak-free chestwaders with non-slip footwear (felt, cleat or rubber soled wading shoes or wader boots), field binder with waterproof paper, appropriate field clothing, bag lunch and refreshment each day.
Please ensure your wading equipment is free of invasives and Whirling disease. More information is found here.
Frequently Asked Questions
We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.
The Recertification course is a one-day field session, where students join the field practicum during any existing two-day Electrofishing Certification training program delivery. Prior to registering, please contact NRTG to determine class size, remaining space and course location logistics.
First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program and should be in place prior to conducting electrofishing activities as a paid employee or worker.
Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by WorkSafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state WorkSafe authorities for more information.
To attend this course, students must provide and wear leak-free chestwaders and non-slip footwear (e.g., rubber, Vibram ® soles, cleats). While employed and conducting electrofishing activities, all crew members must provide and wear a hat with a brim, polarized sunglasses, leak-free chestwaders, wading belt, lineman’s gloves, and non-slip footwear.
You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada and other outdoor equipment outfitters.
First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.
Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.
Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.
No, there is no requirement to recertify your electrofishing certificate. If there is a significant pause in your electrofishing fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.
No. Boat electrofishing is entirely unique from backpack electrofishing and requires different skills, abilities and knowledge. NRTG offers both backpack and boat electrofishing certification. Please refer to our Courses page for more information.
What is the process to upgrade my certificate from Crew Supervisor-in-Training to Crew Supervisor?
Simply contact NRTG via phone or email and request your upgrade. Please provide us with the previous NRTG course date and location. We will issue you a free upgraded Certificate!
Yes, as this is a WorkSafeBC requirement. To certify in BC, attend our Electrofishing Recertification course where you can attend both the online theory session and/or field session.
NRTG’s ‘Electrofishing Recertification’ course includes free, lifetime attendance and recertification. *
To be eligible, prospective registrants for NRTG’s ‘Electrofishing Recertification’ course:
- Have previously attended an NRTG ‘Electrofishing Certification or Recertification’ course
- May only re-certify after an annual basis (yearly)
- May only attend an NRTG ‘Electrofishing Certification’ course that has met its minimum (paid) registration total (typically 10 registrants, may vary by location).
- Please note: NRTG will limit the number of free recertification ‘seats’ to three for any one course delivery.
Testimonials
“I learned a great deal about the most effective and appropriate methods to capture fish. A really excellent course and the instructor Eric was awesome.”
“The instructor was amazing.”
“Kyle’s delivery of your Electrofishing course was absolutely top-notch. He is knowledgeable, professional, and most of all, unfailingly cheerful and patient. Our field session was the third in two days, and I got the feeling from Kyle that he would not rather be anywhere else than right there teaching us about zapping fish. He took care to assist with review before the test, ensuring we all had the time we needed to be comfortable with the material. I believe the integrity of your program is superbly represented by this instructor.”
“Darren: really enjoyed your course and your fabulous teaching skills……I was telling a lot of folks down here how great a teacher you are! Fabulous instructor and course.”
“Instructor was extremely knowledgeable, pleasant, and made the class fun and interesting. Excellent course for anyone interested in a career in fisheries management.”
“The quality of this course and instruction was exactly what our company was looking for.”
“This was my favorite course I have ever taken. I was extremely engaged and interested in the subject and the instructor was so fantastic.”
