"Electro fishing is illegal because it takes the sport out of catching the fish. When the fish are stunned you can just scoop them up and the fish don't have a chance," said Claybrook.

Why is electrofishing bad?

Mortality, usually by asphyxiation, is a common result of excessive exposure to tetanizing intensities near electrodes or poor handling of captured specimens. Reported effects on reproduction are contradictory, but electrofishing over spawning grounds can harm embryos.

Is shocking fish illegal?

Electrofishing is an illegal fishing method for recreational fishers nearly everywhere in the U.S., with the exception of just four counties in North Carolina.