The European Eel - A species under threat

[gozzer]

Am I missing something here?

I saw Steves reference to his 'jellied eels' as a way of saying that we are asked/told to stop eating/using as bait the few eels we catch, but we can still buy processed ones from those who catch and kill tons of the things.

I understand the "we will be seen as doing our bit" thinking, but in reality, the numbers of eels killed by anglers, is but a small fraction compared with the commercial eel industry.

 

The reason I think hackles are raised when a thread such as this appears, is that at the moment angling is under attack, and not just from outsiders. There seems to be so many rules, restrictions, legislations, and proposals appearing recently, that I (and many others) feel under siege. Angling is becoming controlled to such an extent that it is in danger of losing it's 'soul'. Many of these proposals are coming from within angling, and many anglers are being 'brainwashed' into accepting them. You only have to trawl the angling forums, or read the angling press (with an open mind), and you will see plenty of evidence.

 

I have caught so few eels over the last few years, that any action on my part would be negligible. The only thing I can do is make people aware of a situation, and then hope that they would use common sense in their future actions. I feel that this approach will reap more benefit in the long run, than preaching, or condemning them on a forum.

 

John.

[Leon Roskilly]

IUCN Red List entry:

 

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/60344/0

[Leon Roskilly]

I have caught so few eels over the last few years, that any action on my part would be negligible. The only thing I can do is make people aware of a situation, and then hope that they would use common sense in their future actions. I feel that this approach will reap more benefit in the long run, than preaching, or condemning them on a forum.

 

Amen to that John.

 

For my part, I was practically bought up on eels (there was an eel, pie and mash shop around the corner from where I grew up, and stewed and jellied eels a part of my weekly diet).

 

When I took up a fishing rod at the age of 7, my catches supplemented the free escapees from the shop that found there way into our back-garden pond, then into the pot.

 

In fact older, we'd often drive all the way from East-London to fish the drains just over the Sheppey bridge for a feast of eels, and when we later bought a boat to fish the estuaries, there was always an eel-keep hung over the side, keeping the catch fresh to be taken back and jellied later.

 

And they were a favourite amongst my pike and tope baits.

 

But the eel is now listed on the IUCN Red list as a critically endangered species, and action is being taken across Europe to try to at least give them a better chance than doing nothing.

 

Maybe it could be argued that the eels I once took have made no difference in the overall scheme of things, but to my way of thinking, every eel now given a chance to breed does make some small difference.

 

And often it is the accumulation of such small things that makes or breaks the thread that determines the future.

 

Just as I wouldn't order shark-fin soup in a restuarant, so jellied-eels, whether caught by me or someone else is now very much off the menu for me, in the hope that my grandchildren might enjoy a food I once loved.

 

Living in a society where there's plenty of food available, and plenty of choice, eating species on the IUCN Red List isn't for me, even less so using them for bait.

 

And if I'm to condemn the commercial exploitation of such a vulnerable and threatened species (as I will), I feel much more comfortable in my own skin having given up eating them myself.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Leon Roskilly

[Steve Coppolo]

But the eel is now listed on the IUCN Red list as a critically endangered species, and action is being taken across Europe to try to at least give them a better chance than doing nothing.

If anyone was really serious about doing something to give them a beter chance, eel eccentrics and decision makers alike, there wouldn't be a commercial eel fishery - and there definately wouldn't be an elver fishery. Until these things are addressed, assuming they need addressing, attacking anglers is not only unnecessary, but futile. An angler taking it upon himself to return the few that he catches, is even more futile. (a bit like thinking that turning a light off will prevent global warming) But, if that's what an individual wants to do, so be it. That's up to them. But, preaching and forcing others to follow suit is the biggest display of ignorance and arrogance imaginable.

 

There might be plenty of other food to eat, but I like eating eels and will continue to do so until forced to stop. They aren't a part of my staple diet, more of a treat, but now I am not allowed to catch my own and have to buy them instead, the convenience and being able to buy them for 12 months of the year means I will probably be eating more of them. And if campaigners are unconcerned about P'ing off a few anglers - just because a few anglers want to catch one a bit bigger than the next bloke - wait until the non angling eel eating population can no longer eat eels and restuarants are unable to serve them.

 

Maybe it could be argued that the eels I once took have made no difference in the overall scheme of things, but to my way of thinking, every eel now given a chance to breed does make some small difference.

I think this has been a problem with campaigns embarked upon by anglers in the past. They have been too easily satisfied to make a 'small difference' or, in most cases, no difference.

[barry luxton]

But the eel is now listed on the IUCN Red list as a critically endangered species, and action is being taken across Europe to try to at least give them a better chance than doing nothing.

 

Maybe it could be argued that the eels I once took have made no difference in the overall scheme of things, but to my way of thinking, every eel now given a chance to breed does make some small difference.

 

And often it is the accumulation of such small things that makes or breaks the thread that determines the future.

 

Just as I wouldn't order shark-fin soup in a restuarant, so jellied-eels, whether caught by me or someone else is now very much off the menu for me, in the hope that my grandchildren might enjoy a food I once loved.

 

Living in a society where there's plenty of food available, and plenty of choice, eating species on the IUCN Red List isn't for me, even less so using them for bait.

 

And if I'm to condemn the commercial exploitation of such a vulnerable and threatened species (as I will), I feel much more comfortable in my own skin having given up eating them myself.

 

 

Have you given up eating north sea cod as well Leon, seeing that the stock is depleted or can you live with that one. Mind you if you where to partake in the eating of cod from the pacific as some of the super markets are now stocking, it wouldn't bode well with the eco global guys who concider importing from such a distance is equally disastrous.

 

If these guys including the AT put their money where their mouths are with regarding 'saving' the stock they should have called for an abject ban on angling for them, save any deep hooked ones dying. as it is that org said it was pleased with the outcome? so as far as i'm concerned all are just a bunch of no nothing selfish hipocrites.

 

The government, defra, and the eu don't care two hoots about the stock as there would have been more draconian commercial measures sorted out many years ago, so again it's just a waste of space ,paper shuffling excercise that ain't going to acheive diddly squat. Bit sad to see worthless moral self sacrifices, when so much could have been done a long time ago. The suits are not fit for purpose. Even the failed cfp is enough proof of that.

Edited December 24, 2009 by barry luxton

[Jaffa]

With the pike and zander "season" well and truly under way now, many anglers will be considering using eel section as bait. We (the National Anguilla Club) ask pike and zander anglers to think again before the purchase a pack of eel sections or kill an eel to use as bait. Whilst "one or two" mature eels taken in this way will not affect stock levels, the quantity used by significant numbers of anglers will, and buying eel sections only feeds the market. If tackle dealers find that anglers do not buy them then they will not stock them. Your refusal to eels also sends a very clear message to other anglers and non anglers that we are serious about saving the species. The extract form a recent article shown below highlights the fact that there is no sustainable source for the eel:

 

The European Eel Anguilla anguilla is a complex and often misunderstood species. It starts life in the Sargasso Sea where it drifts on oceanic currents before reaching European shores up to 4 years later. From here, as Elvers, they migrate into our River systems where they spend up to 50 years, feeding and growing before returning back to the Sargasso to spawn.

This long lifecycle along with some natural and anthropogenic influence makes the species susceptible to possible extinction. It is already thought that the species has declined by approximately 99% since the 1980's. This is alarming and has raised the question as to whether Eel stocks are sustainable.

 

The decline of the species has been reported since the 1940's in Northern Europe and since the 1980's in the rest of the continental range. Scientists from Indicang (pan European Eel research group) have demonstrated that Eel stocks are in decline and in some regions, mainly in the North of its distribution area, the situation is critical. Some restocking programmes (Northern Ireland, Baltic Sea and Italian lagoons) have succeeded in sustaining local fisheries but the decline continues where stocking has not been carried out. So what are the causes of this dramatic decline?

There are two major stages of the lifecycle which affect the decline in stocks

• Elver Recruitment

• Spawner escapement

Both are linked, it is thought that a reduction in spawning stock, caused by declining Eel stocks may be sufficient to cause a recruitment collapse as in 1980. There is evidence that the decline in recruitment was preceded by a decline in Eel landings approximately 2-3 decades earlier, as the time lag roughly corresponded to the generation period for faster growing stocks. Therefore, initial stock decline could not be caused by reduced recruitment but could be a potential cause of reduced recruitment.

 

Causes.

 

Recruitment Decline

• Over Exploitation

• Changes in oceanographical conditions, possibly linked to climate change

• Reduction in accessible freshwater habitat

• Pollution

• Parasitism

Stock Decline

• Over Exploitation

• Loss of good yellow Eel habitat, loss of wetlands, pollution, over abstraction.

• Barriers to migration, physical - weirs etc and water quality and quantity.

• Reduction in Elver stocking in waters beyond normal migration range.

 

Eels are not bred in captivity; aquaculture relies on the collection of seed Eels (Elvers) which are then grown on. This means that the species is unsustainable as ALL Eels sold in restaurants, shops and bait suppliers have been taken from the wild initially. The European Eel is currently deemed the most at risk vertebrate in the country and is currently on the IUCN Red list.

 

Help us save the eel – do not use them as bait!

 

THANK YOU

 

C.Daphne

 

Environment Officer

National Anguilla Club

 

The NAC are currently working alongside the Angling Trust and the Environment agency in order to save the species.

 

 

So you don't know what the causes of this " dramatic " (meaning?) are, nor do you know very much about the eel's life history, but as an "expert" you think we should have yet more law and regulation ? Brilliant!

 

No doubt me local paper will still have no real jobs advertised a month from now but there will be a quarter page spread for the " right thinking" expert to suit an agenda.

 

No point thinking differently though; from now on i'm going to just copy and paste the truth like you "heroes" do ..

 

 

have a good Christmas

 

 

BTW how do you get a fourty year decline in a species that has a 50 yr life cycle?

 

BTW2 very early in the morning back in the early 80's I saw a very strange thing at Aberdeen harbour; dunno if you know what the steel piles at a harbour look like but they are a series of inlets and outlets. Every inlet was crammed full of adult eels looking up. Every single one! Aberdeen market was at its height at that time with 10k box landings but every fisherman was looking at the eels.

 

I cannot imagine how many eels were there that morning or why they were there.

 

Can you maybe begin to open up your view a bit? ( i really want to say your an ignorant green urban ****.. but that gets no one anywhere and its christmas).

 

Have a good one

Edited December 25, 2009 by Jaffa

[Mark7]

So you don't know what the causes of this " dramatic " (meaning?) are, nor do you know very much about the eel's life history, but as an "expert" you think we should have yet more law and regulation ? Brilliant!

 

No doubt me local paper will still have no real jobs advertised a month from now but there will be a quarter page spread for the " right thinking" expert to suit an agenda.

 

No point thinking differently though; from now on i'm going to just copy and paste the truth like you "heroes" do ..

 

 

have a good Christmas

 

 

BTW how do you get a fourty year decline in a species that has a 50 yr life cycle?

 

BTW2 very early in the morning back in the early 80's I saw a very strange thing at Aberdeen harbour; dunno if you know what the steel piles at a harbour look like but they are a series of inlets and outlets. Every inlet was crammed full of adult eels looking up. Every single one! Aberdeen market was at its height at that time with 10k box landings but every fisherman was looking at the eels.

 

I cannot imagine how many eels were there that morning or why they were there.

 

Can you maybe begin to open up your view a bit? ( i really want to say your an ignorant green urban ****.. but that gets no one anywhere and its christmas).

 

Have a good one

 

Good morning Jaffa

 

You are right when you state that we do not know why the eel is in decline, but not when you state that we are experts or that we think that there should be “more law and regulation”. We (the NAC ) are just enthusiastic amateurs that fish for many different species, but are serious about eels. I cannot see much point in bringing in rules and regulations that are unenforceable, and all our original post did was politely ask anglers not to use eels as bait. I don’t think any of of our posts on here have asked for more regulations or laws, and we are concentrating our efforts with Angling Trust and the EA on the stocking of elvers above estuarine barriers, and the removal or bypass of barriers and obstructions to passage, not on passing laws affecting recreational anglers and eels. We would like to see the end of commercial eel fishing, and continue to press for that, at least until stocks recover. It is because we do not know exactly why the elver is in decline that we tend to try to work on lots of different issues. We may get it wrong at times, but at least we try!

 

As for the life cycle of the eel, although the oldest recorded eel reached age 85, it would seem that the length of life cycle from a Leptocephalus leaving the spawning ground to a mature eel returning to the Sargasso to spawn could be as short as 15 years, although I am ready to stand corrected if someone has a more informed opinion.

 

I am as guilty as anyone of having a closed mind at times, and I take your point regarding opening up my view. I’m delighted that you refrained from calling me an ignorant green urban-you must be one of the politer members on here

[barry luxton]

I cannot see much point in bringing in rules and regulations that are unenforceable, and all our original post did was politely ask anglers not to use eels as bait. I don’t think any of of our posts on here have asked for more regulations or laws, and we are concentrating our efforts with Angling Trust and the EA on the stocking of elvers above estuarine barriers, and the removal or bypass of barriers and obstructions to passage, not on passing laws affecting recreational anglers and eels.

 

 

Well unfortunatly someone must have said something as the powers to be have indeed believed the rubbish, issued new laws and rules, that don't address the problem or solve anything. So it must have been the A T then without the knowledge of the eel org. If you was serious about the eel you would stop fishing until recovery surly, you indicate you fish for other specis, so why not, that would really put the club on a pedestal. Shout as much as you like then and some may take heed.

 

Most of the members are polite on here with a tiny minority who issue personal insults. Thought i would correct you on that. Must have been tounge in cheek as you smiled.

[Mark7]

Well unfortunatly someone must have said something as the powers to be have indeed believed the rubbish, issued new laws and rules, that don't address the problem or solve anything. So it must have been the A T then without the knowledge of the eel org. If you was serious about the eel you would stop fishing until recovery surly, you indicate you fish for other specis, so why not, that would really put the club on a pedestal. Shout as much as you like then and some may take heed.

 

Most of the members are polite on here with a tiny minority who issue personal insults. Thought i would correct you on that. Must have been tounge in cheek as you smiled.

 

Some of are you are very good at reading into posts what you wish to hear, and interpreting it as a slight. I did not say that most of the members are impolite, only that Jaffa is one of the more polite ones. You do seem to enjoy correcting people. The new bye laws have been arrived at through consultation with anglers, scientists and organisations. I am not saying that I agree or disagree, but we (the NAC) certainly have not played a major part in the formulation. I wish we were that powerfull. We all have until 20th January to influence and comment on them. Will you?

 

As for stopping fishing for eels, I covered that on page 4, post 3, and also page 4 last post, and on page 5.

Edited December 26, 2009 by Mark7

[Dick Dastardly]

As for the life cycle of the eel, although the oldest recorded eel reached age 85, it would seem that the length of life cycle from a Leptocephalus leaving the spawning ground to a mature eel returning to the Sargasso to spawn could be as short as 15 years, although I am ready to stand corrected if someone has a more informed opinion.

 

 

That's an interesting point Mark.Some friends an I discussed this at a BEAC fish in many years ago.The "natural" life span of the eel ("natural"as in an eel that has lived its "normal" cycle ie from the Sargasso to the river,reached maturity then returned to spawn) must surely be a lot different to eels that have decided to stay in still waters and never/massively delay the return to spawn. Must be assumed that the "longest lived" eel(s) that have given the top end of 85 must have been in captivity? Can eels be aged through otolith (sp) bones etc? I don't really know.

 

Mark have you read the paper about the change (or believed change would be more accurate) in percentages of adult eels that don't return? If not once I get all the stuff of my old PC your more than welcome to a link to it. Don't think this is the main reason for the decline but just another contributing factor.

 

Unlike others have said (although I should imagine more for "point of argument") I don't think anglers need to stop sport fishing for eels,but neither (within reason) do I think we need to stop taking a few for either pot or bait. Both are the same and trying to differentiate just causes (as indeed to an extent it has here) friction amongst people who should be allied in lobbying the powers to be to find the real cause of the decline.

 

Any suggestion that angling is to blame doesn't pacify any anti angling body or demonstrate to any commercial body the strength of our concerns or our good intentions it merely "weakens" angling or angling's stance to protect its rights.Just look at other examples of anglers trying to appease "anti anglers" or indeed other bodies who are looking for a scape goat..........

 

Lead shot and swans being a very good example!