Electrofishing the Red Cedar River (Prompt #8)

     In my second week here at Michigan State I got hands-on experience in my field, Fisheries and Wildlife, in the form of electrofishing on the Red Cedar River. Before hearing about electrofishing in my class, I had no idea that such thing existed. I came to find out that electrofishing creates a current of electricity under the water by using a submerged cathode and anode that temporarily affects fish movement, making them swim to the anode, making them easier to catch (fish are not harmed and return to normal in a few minutes when done correctly). This method is mostly used for field work that includes studying populations of different species of fish in specific areas. My class ended up surveying over 20 species of fish in three hours!

     I couldn't believe that I was actually getting to do fieldwork so early into my career at MSU. Getting out and learning outside of the normal classroom environment is very beneficial for every field, but even more important for fisheries and wildlife. This hands-on experience was different from traditional learning because I got to learn about electrofishing and actually do it at the same time. Instead of sitting in a traditional lecture I was putting on my waders and walking through the river with my classmates. My hands-on experience revealed to me that you really have to be ready for anything when it comes to the weather conditions and you have to tough out equipment failures. It's not a glamorous field but I can really see myself working outside like this in my future.

A.C.