New Gear Evaluation for Sampling Fish and Herptofauna in Emergent Vegetation

This Science Note highlights a pilot project that evaluated two experimental gear types, along with mini-fyke nets and minnow traps, to catch aquatic species using wetlands.
Sampling fish and herpetofauna in emergent vegetation is problematic, which leads to the question of “Is there a better way?” To answer this question, the Open Rivers and Wetlands Field Station staff constructed two new passive gears and tested them against standard gears of minnow traps and mini-fyke nets. The first gear constructed was a “DISC-sampler” (Fig. 1). Small fish could swim in and herpetofauna could crawl up the netted ramp and fall into the sampler. The second gear was a modified crab trap. A standard crab trap was covered with 1/8” netting and multiple throated ports of entry were constructed along the sides. The new gears were not as effective at sampling fish and herpetofauna as compared to mini-fyke nets. It appears from this preliminary sampling that mini-fyke nets are adequate for sampling in emergent vegetation