EELS !

[Buzzard]

This common eel has one of the most remarkable travel stories of any creature in the world. Common eels lay their eggs in the Sargasso Sea, in the North Atlantic Ocean( About 3200 miles away) their numbers are now getting dangerously low.
Anyway I'll get to the point. I was chatting to a fellow fisherman telling him that I was going fishing on the river and If all else fails I will go and try for a few eels he proceded to give me a few tips and said once he had caught them he proceeded to kill them saying that they were pests.(Is there any evidence of this ?)Personally I put all mine back, Give me your views

[dace]

I personally hate eels. But I would never kill one.
If I fish a match and eels are the only option then I have to fish for them.
Some waters are full of Boot laces. Small ells. Hard to believe they are getting low in numbers.

[boilie]

Is it my imagination or has anyone else noticed that they are very active and feed prolifically during thunderstorms.
It's something to do with the change in barometric pressure that triggers an eel's feeding responses. They are still one of the most little understood fish on God's earth, but magnificent creatures nevertheless.
Great Jellied ;D

[Carpy]

Facts to back up your claims Buzzard From E.A site

Restrictions on eel netting are being imposed by the Environment Agency in the Fens and Lincolnshire in a move to protect depleting stocks.


Regular enforcement patrols will ensure that no ‘poaching’ takes place in waters controlled by the Agency and anyone ignoring the ban on these waters will have their equipment seized, whether licensed or not, and may end up in court.

The national decline in eel numbers is thought to be due to poor recruitment of glass eels from the Sargasso Sea (Caribbean) due to changes in the Gulf Stream, restrictions to passage at tidal structures on their spring migration, commercial over-fishing and impacts of Anguillicola crassus - an eel parasite.

Since the early 1980’s hobby and commercial netsmen could bid for permission to net eels on approximately 200 miles of Agency-owned riverbank throughout Lincolnshire and parts of Cambridgeshire: including Louth Canal, Great Eau, East Coast Drains, River Steeping, South Forty Foot Drain, River Witham, Maud Foster, East & West Fen Catchwaters, River Ancholme, River Welland, River Nene, Moretons Leam, Coronation Channel, River Folly and Maxey Cut.

However largely due to declining eel stocks there has been no interest in the waters from licensed netsmen for the past few years and the decision has been taken not to lease the netting rights for the foreseeable future as a conservation measure.

Eels occupy an important niche in the ecology of rivers and drains both as a food source as well as one of natures’ detritus cleaners. They are an important natural food source for Otters and Bitterns, and are still a popular food for man - jellied eel being a traditional British delicacy, and many more are exported live to Holland, Spain and the Far East.

Letters are being sent out to all active netsmen advising them of the restrictions on Agency owned waters and the action that will be taken if eel nets are discovered by Agency inspections.

Environment Manager David Hawley said: "By restricting eel netting now we will protect eels stocks with a view to improved sustainability in the future. We are aware that illegal netting of eels does occur and we are giving warning that nets will be seized and prosecutions may follow".

"We ask that all eel netsmen support us in this initiative which will contribute to the recovery of eel stocks in our rivers."
So Jellied Eels off the menu. ;D

[Andrew Burgess]

Well done Frank. ;D I agree with you 100% there. ;D about the deciline of the eels which mainly base on the netmen netting the little elvers (small transparent young of the eel about 1" or 2" long) which is a great british delicacy and many more are exported to the europe and the far east. Maybe in the near future that the eels will recover but I don't think so because of the illegal nettings.

[Bivvyman]

Decline of Eels  globwhore Otters dont help. Otter populations declined at exactly the same time as eel populations.
Because eels are the staple diet of otters. Eels need to be returned not killed. Save the EEL

[Carpy]

Experts are warning that the eel is facing extinction because of a 'catastropic 'slump in numbers, and new powers are being drafted in to help save it.

The initative which is expected to get offical approval soon, follows evidence that European eel populations are in crisis.

In what is the most severe slump in any fish species numbers are thought to have dropped 99 per cent the past 20 years to a point where the population is now said to be 'outside safe biological limits'

Eel Study Group general secretary Clive Dennison said: "this is not a new issue and i think we first started campaigning for greater awareness of declining stocks back in the early 1980

And, according to Clive, it is not anglers but illegal netsmen who are to blame.  <br>
He went on "we all know that anglers have a positive impact on eels because we are the first to notice if something is wrong. The use of illegal fyke nets is a major cause of this problem and tighter restrictions are needed".

Eel need saving your comments.

[MrMatthew]

Hmmm only ever caught eels in two places one a lake in Gloucestershire and also some bootlaces on the Severn at Stourport... I hate me but like any fish I am all for preservation!

[BUDGIE]

I used to commercialy net eels!

Fascinating fish.Love fishing for and catching (if Im lucky!) big ones but hate little uns! I put them all back .Keep any ones that are realy deep hooked for bait though.