field work is hard
Field work is tiresome, in every way. Mentally, physically, emotionally, logistically, scientifically and from a management perspective. In fact, I’m rooted.
I got back last night from an intensive first round of sampling of the four sites in the Mulgrave River. While the river itself is very beautiful and it’s magnificent to be out on the water checking out all the amazing fish; dealing with potent and harmful chemicals, killing beautiful fishes, getting bogged and sunburnt all suck.
I actually returned late last week, but had to go back up to do the electrofishing. The first trip was to do the invertebrate, habitat and gill netting. Unfortunately, there was something wrong with the formalin or I didn’t use enough so all the fish that I caught greater than about 300 mm in length went rancid and couldn’t have gut contents done on them.
That means that I’ll probably have to back and redo the gill nets - another 4 nights work. *uuggh..*
I’m going home to sleep now.