In reviewing the different sets of safety protocol that exist in Europe, North America and New Zealand it was apparent that there was a marked similarity in the evolution of these regulations and guidelines although obviously many have developed quite independently as if by ‘parallel evolution’. In these guidelines three basic concepts and a number of recommendations are commonly promoted. These concepts and recommendations have been formed into the Code of Practice for Electric Fishing which follows. For the safety of the operators these guidelines can be divided into two categories acoording to whether the effect of abusing the recommendation is acute or chronic. The first are those recommendations that, because of their potential lethal implications, must be conformed to and the second those practices that should be complied to because they increase the overall safety of the operation.
Electric fishing can be carried out safely if:
The electric fishing apparatus has been designed and constructed so that it conforms with a standard set of national or local electric fishing safety guidelines and receives regular maintenance and inspections by qualified personnel certified to do so.
Personnel involved in an electric fishing operation are trained in the fundamentals of electricity, the correct procedures for operating electric fishing equipment, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and first aid.
All electric fishing procedures and activities are carried out under a standard set of safety guidelines as dictated by national and/or local regulations.
Construction
All electric fishing equipment should be designed and constructed (or manufactured) by qualified persons trained and authorised by the controlling body to do so. Excellent ‘high tech’, reliable and safe equipment is available commercially in North America and Europe so there should not be any need to resort to home-made equipment if ‘in house’ expertise is not available. This does not mean, however, that all the desirable safety equipment and devices are necessarily installed in commercially built equipment.
Generators/Alternators
These must be of sufficient capacity to provide all electrical requirements without overloading. An isolating transformer is required on the output or the generator windings must be isolated from the frame. (eg disconnect the wire which grounds the winding from the frame). NB If the generator is used in a boat the frames must be grounded to the boat hull and other equipment. This prevents an operating potential difference being set up across the equipment
Exhaust from the motor should be piped away from the operators. Hot piping should be shielded and protected from accidental touching. The use of water cooled mufflers is highly recommended to cool the exhaust and provide superior noise suppression.
Meters/Gauges
All units must be fitted with volt/ammeters so that output can be monitored and measured at all times.
Controls
There must be one readily accessible switch within easy access of the control box operator which must be used to turn the unit on and off. If a generator is used it is advisable that this switch also turns off the engine as well as the high voltage (hv). This switch must be red or outlined in red. This also applies to backpack electrofishers.
In the case of backpack electric fishing machines, boats and bankside units, all anode handles must be equipped with deadman switches which operate remotely or on a low tension 12–24V DC circuit. In addition, all backpack units must be fitted with a mercury type ‘tilt’ switch that must be re-set manually to re-activate the unit. If a generator is used it must be fitted with a master control switch and it is advisable that it deactivates the generator. All persons aboard an electric fishing boat regardless of their duty should have a deadman switch (usually foot operated).
Grounding and Bonding
On electric fishing boats, all metal surfaces including gas tanks, tool boxes, generator frame, etc should be electrically connected together, regardless of whether the boat hull is metal or non-conductive. In non-metal boats, the whole power unit must be guaranteed against indirect contact by suitable shielding.
Warning Devices
All electric fishing control boxes must be equipped with a visible red signal light that indicates when power is being applied to the electrodes. Consideration should be given to the fitting of an intermittent tone generator which is audible to all crew members.
Connectors and wiring
All connectors/plugs used must be such that no two can be interchanged, therefore, making it impossible to connect the equipment incorrectly. All connections must be water proof. The rated voltage of cables used to deliver power to fishing electrodes should be in excess of the output voltage from the control box. The cables must also have suitable oversheath qualities to resist premature damage in application. The principle of colour coding the wiring system according to the countries recommended standards should be established.
Boat Construction and Associated Equipment
Floatation and Footing
When in operation, electric fishing boats must provide adequate floatation and free board clearance consistent with equipment, cargo and passenger weight when being operated. Boat decks should be provided with a nonskid surface to enable sure footing.
Safety Rails
Padded and insulated safety rails should be provided around the outside of the netting area and should be at least waist high and able to withstand a 100kg side-thrust.
Dip Nets, Hand-held Anodes
Dip nets should not be electrified thus preventing live electrodes from being removed from the water and fish being exposed to an electric current for long periods. Net handles and hand-held anodes must be made of non-conducting material such as PVC, fibreglass or nylon and should not be made of material with a metal core. Hand-held anodes must not be used in metal boats.
Colour Coding and Labelling of Significant Hazards
Significant hazards and safety equipment should be labelled and colour coded. Colour marking should not be used, however, to serve as a substitute for proper physical guarding where necessary.
Red should be the basic colour for the identification of danger (eg fire-fighting equipment, emergency stop buttons). Yellow is the basic colour for designating, caution and significant hazards such as slipper decks. Green shall be used as the basic colour for designating ‘safety’ and the location of first-aid equipment.
Training
All persons involved in electric fishing must be trained in the basic principles of electricity and operation of electric fishing equipment. Additionally, each electric fishing operation should have designated ‘Crew Leader’ who is in charge of the safety of the team. Each electric fishing team should have a minimum of three persons. People must not electric fish alone. Operating with two fishermen is permissible if a double guarantee of safety in terms of cut-off switches is applied. At least two must be trained in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid. Training also should cover emergency procedures for drowning, unconsciousness and electrical shock. Training should be regularly updated.
In pursuing the many sets of guidelines, there are many recommendations and suggestions made pertaining to safe operating procedures, many suited to individual situations. For general conditions the following points are consider important.
Equipment Inspection
A schedule for maintenance inspection must be developed and time intervals should be no greater than once a year.
Operation Checklists
Check lists should be developed for all phases of electric fishing operations. These should range from such things as boat launching and electrical connections that are used daily to annual equipment maintenance checks. Examples of electric fishing boat and bank-side unit inspection sheets operated by the Canadian Province of Ontario (Goodchild 1986) are given in Appendices 1 and 2.
Log Books, Instruction Guides
A detailed instruction guide or manual should accompany each electric fishing apparatus to assist the operator who is not totally familiar with the unit. A log book should also be available to record dates and times of use, maintenance, problems and repairs, etc.
Emergency Planning
A pre-determined plan in the event of an emergency must be established and a documented route to medical facilities should be available.
There are a number of general activities and procedures associated with electric fishing which should be adopted. Many are common sense, but for personnel with little experience in electric fishing they need emphasizing. These points are summarised in Table 1.
Table 1 General dos and don'ts in electric fishing practice
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
Keep hands out of the water in the vicinity of electrodes. | Operate electric fishing equipment alone. |
Leave the water immediately if boots, gloves or clothing. becomes wet. | Fish under inclement weather conditions. |
Make all electrical connections while the unit is turned off. | Continue to fish when crew members are fatigued. |
Refuel generators with equipment turned off and when surfaces cooled. |
