12-03-2025
Electrofishing efforts help protect Rainbow Trout populations at Catharine Creek
MONTOUR FALLS, N.Y. (WETM) — Researchers and volunteers were out in Catharine Creek on Wednesday, for Rainbow Trout sampling — measuring and tracking fish to monitor their populations and ecosystems before fishing season.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation used a technique called electrofishing. According to Brad Hammers, aquatic biologist, for the DEC, it's a process that temporarily stuns trout with an electric current, allowing them to study the fish before releasing them back into the water.
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'What we will do is we use electrofishing gear; it's a backpack electrofishing gear. So, we'll put electricity in the water which will stun the fish temporarily,' Hammers said. 'We're able to get a net on them. We'll put them in a live car cage, which keeps them alive and then we'll get the information that we need,' he said.
They collected data on the Rainbow Trout's length, weight, sex, spawning stage, and any markings left by Lamprey.
Hammers highlighted the importance of this data collection. 'It gives us a good chance to figure out what's going on with the population, how fast they're growing, what condition they're in,' Hammers said. 'For Catharine Creek, it gives us a really good chance to ID what the Lamprey population is doing,' he said.
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Lamprey, parasitic creatures that latch onto trout are a significant concern for fish populations. In rivers and streams, Lamprey are one of the biggest predators of Rainbow Trout, and once the fish migrate to lakes, they face threats from other species like Pike, other trout, and anglers.
'Some of these fish may have lamprey wounds or scars on them, and that'll tell us the less scars the better our program is going, to lower the population of Lamprey out in the lake,' Hammers said. 'The more scars that means there's a lot more Lamprey out in the lake,' he said.
For those concerned about the well-being of the trout during the process, Hammers reassured that the equipment that was used is safe for the fish.
'The equipment that we're using is pretty safe,' Hammers said. 'Occasionally there will be a fish that may come succumb to the electrofishing, but generally we try not to,' he said.
Rainbow Trout Sampling plays a vital role in preserving the health of local streams and fish populations. This hands-on effort also included local BOCES students who observed and assisted throughout the sampling process.
According to the DEC's website fishing season opens April 1 in New York State.
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