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Dear Sir
I am a zoologist currently researching mutations in the common European eel (Anguilla anguilla). I am perusing a line of research that, to my knowledge, no one has studied before.
Who better to ask that the great angling public!

For many years there have been claims that some individuals of the common eel do not sexually develop on swim out to sea to breed. Instead they remain in fresh water and keep growing. No one seems to know how long these sterile eels live or how big they get. They are referred to as eunuch eels.

I have already uncovered accounts of exceptionally sized eels but I am looking for more information. If anyone has seen, or has knowledge of gigantic eels in fresh water then I would be very grateful if they would contact me. My e-mails is below.
Many thanks Richard Freeman

richard.dragon@lycos.co.uk

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Sounds fascinating. Wonder why they would do that? Wonder if the potential to mature still remains?

Be great if Richard could tell us more about what he knows or suspects so far.

See:

Eel Conservation Society
http://www.angling.freeserve.co.uk/ecsweb.htm

Eel Study Group
http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/saa/esg/

Tight Lines - leon

John Sidley wrote in his book of an eel over 7lbs which lets face facts is a massive fish, Which died, after scientific tests the eels Otolith bone was read and showed the eel to over 70 years old.

Also an eel of over 7lbs was once caught and placed in the london museum were it continued to survive for many more years then over a short period of time the eel changed colour as it would in the wild to a silver eel and then died.

This would suggest that an eel can still "get the urge to spawn" well into its adult life.

There is a place that produces double figure eels, I know because I caught a 10 pounder, plus a nine and 4 more of 7 lb and over. Caught on lumps of meat, size 2 hook and baling twine for line.

Dear Cyrano

If what you say is correct, and I have no need to doubt your claims, then you are the most successful eel angler in history.

Interestingly, if you would like to drop me a line...privately.....then maybe I can persuade you to write an account of it to be added into the contents of the book on eels that is to be produced by The National Anguilla Club in the future.

I shall respect your confidentiality and your water will not be threatened by others invading it.

Have you some photos to go along with your reported eels...that'd make the written article an awesome read for eel enthusiasts.

Feel free to contact me on my e-mail address.....eelfisher-1@ntlworld.com.

Yours With Respect.....
Steve Richardson,
Chairman,
The National Anguilla Club.

[ 24. April 2005, 07:13 PM: Message edited by: 'eelfisher' ]

the salmon has the opposite a certain % never grow beyond a few inches and never leave the spawning area where they were born ,on the return of spawning salmon these little tykes join in their larger kith and kins sexual exploits and no doupt produce offspring of their own.
what happens to their young wasent known so it isnt known (as far as the interesting prog it was on ) if they produce "normal" offspring or another generation of midgets :confused: