Operation of an electrical barrier to block sea lamprey in the Black Mallard, Michigan, detailing stream temperature, conductivity, discharge, electric field intensity, and animals trapped and killed during 2016, 2017, and 2018

Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) control is achieved in tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes by applying lamprey-specific pesticides (lampricide) to habitats containing larval sea lamprey. Lampricide treatments are cheaper and more effective in watersheds where dams block runs of adult sea lamprey and hence limit the distribution of sea lamprey larvae. However, dams impound water and those without fishways block movement of valued fishes, outcomes that are untenable for some stakeholders. Here, an alternative to physical barriers was tested to block adult sea lamprey; a portable and seasonal non-physical barrier of pulsed direct current that does not impound water, allows fish passage when not operated, and is relatively cheap. The electric field was operated in the Black Mallard River, Michigan, USA, March through August, 2016-2018. Here, we release data collected during the deployment of this barrier including stream discharge, water temperature, water conductivity, electric field measurements, animals captured in traps deployed downstream and upstream of the barrier, and dead animals recovered from downstream and upstream of the barrier.