EN 14011:2003

Water quality - Sampling of fish with electricity

This European Standard provides procedures to be used by trained persons in evaluating fish communities in streams, rivers and littoral areas for the purpose of classification of ecological status. These procedures allow standardisation of sampling methods for descriptions of fish communities. The use of standardised methods is a critical requirement for the comparability of results.
This European Standard describes an electric fishing method to be used when catching fish for the purpose of characterising species richness, composition, abundance and age structure of a given fish community. Sampling-related issues include obtaining permissions, concerns about endangered species, protective measures of importance for the user of the sampling apparatus and co-ordination of activities with other sampling programmes.
The processing of samples covers taxonomic identification, counting, measurement of biologic parameters (length, weight etc.), and examination of fish for external anomalies.

Wasserbeschaffenheit - Probenahme von Fisch mittels Elektrizität

Qualité de l'eau - Echantillonnage des poissons à l'électricité

La présente Norme Européenne décrit des modes opératoires d'échantillonnage et de pêche électrique destinés à être appliqués par un personnel formé à l'évaluation des populations de poissons dans les cours d'eau, les rivières et les zones littorales à des fins de classification de l'état écologique. Ces modes opératoires permettent de normaliser les méthodes d'échantillonnage pour décrire les peuplements de poissons. L'emploi de méthodes normalisées est une exigence cruciale pour la comparabilité des résultats.
La présente Norme Européenne décrit une méthode de pêche électrique destinée à être utilisée pour capturer des poissons dans le but de caractériser la composition, l'abondance et la structure d'âges d'un peuplement de poissons donné. Les problèmes liés à l'échantillonnage incluent l'obtention des autorisations nécessaires, les mesures spéciales concernant les espèces menacées, la protection physique de l'utilisateur de l'appareillage d'échantillonnage et la coordination des activités avec les autres programmes d'échantillonnage.
Le traitement des échantillons couvre l'identification taxonomique, le dénombrement, le mesurage des paramètres biologiques (taille, poids, etc.) et l'examen des poissons pour la recherche d'anomalies externes.

Kakovost vode – Vzorčenje rib z elektriko

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 11-Mar-2003
• ICS: 13.060.70 - Examination of biological properties of water
• ICS: 65.150 - Fishing and fish breeding
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 230 - Water analysis
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 230/WG 2 - Biological methods
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 09-Feb-2022
• Completion Date: 14-Apr-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN 14011:2003 - Water quality - Sampling of fish with electricity

Overview

EN 14011:2003 - Water quality: Sampling of fish with electricity (CEN) standardises electric fishing (electrofishing) methods for assessing fish communities in streams, rivers and littoral zones. It provides procedures for trained personnel to collect comparable data used in classifying ecological status and characterising species richness, composition, abundance and age structure. The standard emphasises repeatable sampling design, fish welfare, safety and standardised processing of samples.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and purpose: Methods for sampling fish with electricity to describe fish communities for ecological status classification. Applicable to streams, rivers and nearshore (littoral) habitats.
• Sampling design: Guidance on site selection, minimum sampled lengths/areas (dependant on river width and depth), number of sites required (linked to coefficient of variation), timing (seasonality and temperature constraints) and repeatability of effort.
• Equipment: Requirements for electric fishing apparatus (DC or pulsating DC only; AC is prohibited), backpacks or generator units, non-conductive nets and containers, lifejackets and communication/first-aid gear. Calibration of new equipment against existing methods is recommended.
• Safety: Detailed safety controls for electric shock, drowning and mechanical hazards; team working rules, dead-man switches, secure storage and on-site equipment checks. Trained staff and an experienced team leader are required.
• Field procedures: Wading versus boat-based sampling strategies, full-width sampling where appropriate, procedures for handling endangered species and coordination with other monitoring.
• Sample processing: Taxonomic identification, counting, measurement of biological parameters (length, weight), age/size structure analysis and examination for external anomalies.
• Quality assurance: Protocol consistency, documentation (GPS location, photographic records), calibration and reporting requirements. Annex A provides an example electric fishing protocol.
• Normative references: EN 25667-1 (sampling programme design) and IEC 60335-2-86 (safety requirements for electric fishing machines).

Applications and users

Who uses EN 14011:2003:

• Environmental agencies and regulatory bodies conducting ecological status assessments
• Fisheries biologists and researchers monitoring fish communities and population structure
• Environmental consultants performing impact assessments or biomonitoring
• Water managers implementing standardised monitoring programs across catchments

Practical applications:

• National and regional monitoring for Water Framework Directive-style classification
• Baseline surveys and trend analysis of fish abundance and diversity
• Comparing data across sites and time using standardised electrofishing protocols
• Supporting conservation decisions for endangered or protected species

Related standards

• EN 25667-1:1993 - Water sampling programme design guidance
• IEC 60335-2-86 - Safety for electric fishing machines
• Other forthcoming CEN standards on fish sampling with gillnets and guidance on method selection

Keywords: EN 14011:2003, electric fishing, electrofishing, fish sampling, water quality, CEN, fish community monitoring, ecological status.

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Wasserbeschaffenheit - Probenahme von Fisch mittels ElektrizitätQualité de l'eau - Echantillonnage des poissons a l'électricitéWater quality - Sampling of fish with electricity13.060.70Preiskava bioloških lastnosti vodeExamination of biological properties of waterICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 14011:2003SIST EN 14011:2003en01-september-2003SIST EN 14011:2003SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARDNORME EUROPÉENNEEUROPÄISCHE NORMEN 14011March 2003ICS 13.060.70; 65.150English versionWater quality - Sampling of fish with electricityQualité de l'eau - Echantillonnage des poissons àl'électricitéWasserbeschaffenheit - Probenahme von Fisch mittelsElektrizitätThis European Standard was approved by CEN on 5 December 2002.CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this EuropeanStandard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such nationalstandards may be obtained on application to the Management Centre or to any CEN member.This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translationunder the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Management Centre has the same status as the officialversions.CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and UnitedKingdom.EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATIONCOMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATIONEUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNGManagement Centre: rue de Stassart, 36
B-1050 Brussels© 2003 CENAll rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reservedworldwide for CEN national Members.Ref. No. EN 14011:2003 ESIST EN 14011:2003

Example of electric fishing protocol.13Bibliography.16SIST EN 14011:2003

The CV can be determined from a pilot study or from data from similar populations. For determination of temporaltrends fewer sites may be required. The selection of sites shall be representative of habitats/biomes within the watershed. Rivers with highenvironmental stress, where no or only a few specimen are caught on several of the sampling sites, have a highCV, and, therefore, an increased number of sites is required to give a good estimate of abundances and agestructures of the species present. Due consideration shall also be given to ease of access and safety of operationalpersonnel.The timing of sampling shall be linked to an understanding of the life history strategies of the target species. Inmost circumstances sampling shall be carried out towards the end of the growing season when juveniles are of asufficiently large size to be caught by electric fishing. However, electric fishing shall not be made at temperaturesbelow 5 °C, because of reduced fish activity and reduced sampling efficiency. At low water temperaturessuccessive (removal) samplings from the same area (e.g. Zippin, 1958) may actually give higher catches in thesecond compared with the first sampling.Subsequent sampling of a particular site shall be carried out at the same time of year and under similar flowconditions. All sampling shall be done in daylight hours. The area of the river to be sampled is dependent upon width, waterdepth, and habitat variation. The minimum length to be sampled for various waters is given in Table 2.Table 2 — Minimum of length to be sampled River dimension Minimum of length to be sampled Small stream, width < 5 m 20 m, whole width has to be sampled Small river, width 5 m to 15 m 50 m, whole width has to be sampled Large river and canal, width > 15 m > 50 m of river margin either on one side or on both sides Large shallow water, water depth < 70 cm 200 m2 Large water bodies (e.g. lakes) > 50 m of littoral zone
In small wadable rivers with high densities of small fish (which is often the case in wide salmon spawning streams)a smaller length may be sufficient. As a rough guidance it is enough to catch 200 fish, but the total sampled areashall be at least 100 m2.SIST EN 14011:2003
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