Evaluation of Electrofishing and Fyke Netting for Collecting Black Carp in Small Ponds

Abstract

The introduced black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus has the potential of depredating many imperiled native mussel and snail populations in U.S. waterways. The purpose of this study was to evaluate methods for detecting and assessing the abundance of black carp in warmwater systems. We electrofished and fyke-netted 0.1- and 0.3-ha aquaculture ponds stocked with triploid black carp at densities of 39–373 fish/ha. Black carp were not detected with 15- or 120-Hz pulsed-DC electrofisher outputs, but we collected them with 60-Hz AC output and fyke nets. The catch rate with AC electrofishing was positively related to black carp density (R ² = 0.72), but catch was not affected (P > 0.10) by pond size, fish size, water temperature, or conductivity. The fyke net catch rate was affected by water temperature but not by pond size, net size, or black carp density. Alternating current electrofishing appears to be an effective method for sampling black carp in shallow warmwater systems.