Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Volume 5 Number 14: Electrofishing for Razor Clams (Ensis siliqua and E. arquatus): Effects on Survival and Recovery of Target and Non-Target Species

Trawling and tank based trials were conducted to assess whether electrofishing (which is currently prohibited under EU regulations) for razor clams Ensis siliqua and E. arquatus affects survival and behaviour patterns in Ensis spp. and non-target species.


Acknowledgements

This work was funded by a Marine Scotland grant from the Cabinet Secretary's 2012-13 special fund to promote sustainable fishing awarded to Alan Forbes and John Grieve of the Razorclam Fishermen's Forum. The authors wish to thank the skippers and crews of the FV Ensis and the FV Nicola Jane operated by Loch Leven Shellfish Ltd, and the FV Lucky Lucy operated by Coastal Diving Services. We thank Les Horn for his assistance in the tank experiments, Bob Hamilton for supplying A. rubens and P. bernhardus, and Eric Armstrong for assistance setting up the stimulus tanks and testing the electric properties of the system. We also thank Paul Stainer for conducting the sediment analysis and Keith Mutch and Rui Catarino for producing the schematic diagram of the electric rig and the voltage plots respectively.

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