Effect of electrical stimulation used in the pulse trawl fishery for common sole on internal injuries in sandeels

Abstract Electric stimulation was used in the North Sea beam trawl fishery for common sole to reduce its environmental impact. Because electrical may cause internal injuries fish, a laboratory experiment conducted study effect of pulse exposure on lesser sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) and greater (Hyperoplus lanceolatus), important mid-trophic species ecosystem. We exposed 244 sandeels between two electrodes pulsed bipolar current 2 s an experimental cage with 5 cm sediment; 221 control fish were handled similarly but not exposed. The occurrence spinal haemorrhages scored using X-radiography dissection. None field strength up 600 V m–1 showed injury or haemorrhage. Equal numbers minor abnormalities found fish. In absence injuries, we estimated by bootstrapping below which are unlikely occur, i.e. lower limit threshold, corresponding dose–response relationship probability. conclude that it is will have ecologically significant adverse population abundance sandeels, because low probabilities injury.