Contributed by DEC’s Region 2 Bureau of Fisheries , Posted 9/30/24: In the spring of 2024, Region 2 Bureau of Fisheries staff conducted its first trap-net survey of Ohrback Lake utilizing DEC’s new electric boat. Purchased by the State of New York in 2022, the electric outboard, which runs at 48 volts and whose power is comparable to a 20-horsepower gasoline engine, was fitted on a salvaged 16ft aluminum working boat. Over four consecutive net-nights, fisheries staff used the boat to deploy and check nets as well as process fish species such as black crappie, pumpkinseed, and bluegill. In addition to fisheries data, staff also recorded information pertaining to the electric outboard’s usage; including distance traveled, average speed, estimated load mass, water conditions, plus number, duration of charging cycles, and source of electricity. The data will be used to produce a ‘whole life analysis’, which will be used to test the hypothesis that electric outboards produce less greenhouse gas emissions over their lifetime than a comparable gasoline-powered engine.

Click here to watch and listen to DEC’s post about the electric boat.