Status of eel fisheries, stocks and their management in England and Wales

Aprahamian, M. W.; Walker, Alan

doi:10.1051/kmae/2009007

Cited by 11 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…S1). In contrast to the loss of the eel from inland Iberia, the species still performs deep penetrations into several central European river systems (Aprahamian & Walker ; Imbert et al . ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical data to plan the recovery of the European eel

Clavero

Hermoso

2015

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary1. Long-term perspectives are critical to understand contemporary ecological systems. However, historical data on the distribution of biodiversity have only rarely been used in applied environmental sciences. 2. Here, we use historical sources to reconstruct the historical range of the European eel, a critically endangered species. We then use this baseline range to set range targets for the recovery of the European eel, as opposed to the abundance-based targets established by the European Union, which are constrained by the poor information on pre-collapse stocks. 3. We collected over 10 000 historical freshwater fish records from Spain in the 19th and 16th centuries, as well as over 25 000 records from the global biodiversity information facility (GBIF) to characterize historical and current European eel distribution in the Iberian Peninsula. We converted fish records into an eel presence-absence data set using subcatchment as spatial unit of analysis and modelled eel distribution in the different historical periods. 4. The eel was historically widespread throughout the Iberian Peninsula, but it has lost over 80% of its original range, mainly due to river fragmentation by dams. Distribution models applied to 16th-and 19th-century data showed a high agreement, supporting the use of the 19th-century estimated distribution as a baseline range. We identified the number and identity of dams that should be made passable for accomplishing specific range recovery targets, for example showing that acting upon 20 dams would make available 60% of the baseline eel range. 5. Synthesis and applications. This work exemplifies how insights gained from historical ecology can support and guide present-day management of migratory fishes. Similar approaches could be developed throughout Europe to plan the recovery of the eel, since there are large amounts of historical eel records. Historical baseline ranges for the eel range should be incorporated into the European Union legal mandates aimed at the recovery of the species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical data to plan the recovery of the European eel

Clavero

Hermoso

2015

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…Electrofishing with depletion is the standard method of catching and counting eels in shallow freshwater habitats, but this method is impossible for deep and/or saline waters. There are very few commercial‐scale fisheries for eel in UK estuaries (Aprahamian and Walker, ) that could provide catch and effort data. In their absence, therefore, scientific assessments must be based on mark–recapture exercises.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The home range and behaviour of yellow‐stage European eel Anguilla anguilla in an estuarine environment

Walker

Godard

Davison

2013

Aquatic Conservation

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1. The behaviour patterns of yellow-stage European eels Anguilla anguilla within the tidal waters of the rivers Frome and Piddle, and the neighbouring Poole Harbour estuary (Dorset, England) were examined from July to December using acoustic transmitters and a fixed hydrophone array.2. Point-to-point measures of range varied between 630 m and 4150 m, with no relationship between eel size and range. Eight eels displayed repeated circuits, travelling distances of 440 m to 5060 m over a few hours.3. Activity was generally, but not exclusively, nocturnal, with the start and end times closely associated with sunset and sunrise, respectively. 4. Neither direction of travel nor average ground speed was influenced by tidal flow direction, and seasonal declines in water temperature did not appear to influence behaviours. 5. These results on distance travelled during regular, nocturnal movements provide valuable insights into the spatial and temporal distribution of yellow eels in an estuarine environment, which can aid the design of survey programmes in terms of the range over which to deploy fishing gears and the number of nights they should be fished. These survey programmes are urgently required to estimate eel production from saline environments for national Eel Management Plans, and the subsequent implementation of effective conservation measures.6. The strong influence of light regime on the behaviour patterns of eels points towards control of artificial illumination (light pollution) being an important eel conservation measure in this environment, at least.

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“…Among threatened aquatic animals, the European eel ( Anguilla anguilla L, hereafter ‘eel’) is the focus of many conservation studies in the northern hemisphere (Dekker, 2000, 2003a; Haro et al , 2000; Wirth and Bernatchez, 2003; Allen et al , 2006). Many factors, closely related to its economic interest and/or destruction of its physical habitats by man, have led to its decline (Castonguay et al , 1994; Loste and Dusserre, 1996; Moriarty and Dekker, 1997; Bevacqua et al , 2007; Aprahamian and Walker, 2008). Eel is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the Red List of Threatened Animals of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it is a listed species in Annex II of the European Community Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is European catfish a threat to eels in southern France?

Martino¹,

Syväranta²,

Crivellì³

et al. 2011

Aquatic Conservation

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ABSTRACT1. European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is recognized as a critically endangered species in the northern hemisphere. Threats such as overfishing or pollution are well known as risks for eel populations. However, much less is known about the impact of introduced fish on European eels. In particular, introduced large-bodied predators could become new predators to eels.2. The potential impact of European catfish (Silurus glanis L) on an eel population in the Camargue, southern France was studied using a combination of stable isotope and gut content analyses.3. Only large-bodied catfish (4500 mm) can consume numerous fish prey. However, catfish mostly consumed crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), these prey items being found in 79% of the guts of the largest individuals. Eel was absent from the dissected catfish guts. A mixing model based on Bayesian inference revealed that catfish diet included only 5% (0-8.5%) of marine sources (both eel and mullet).4. While local economic interests prompted ecological studies to assess whether catfish exerted a new and strong predatory pressure on eel, this study found that European catfish behaved as an opportunistic omnivore, and as such was not a direct threat as a predator on eel populations in the Camargue.

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Status of eel fisheries, stocks and their management in England and Wales

Abstract: All continental life stages of eel are exploited in England and Wales. The main fisheries for glass eel are by estuarine dip-nets in the southwest. The main fisheries for yellow and silver eel occur in southern and eastern England, with fyke nets being the preferred instrument.

Cited by 11 publications

References 11 publications

Historical data to plan the recovery of the European eel

Historical data to plan the recovery of the European eel

The home range and behaviour of yellow‐stage European eel Anguilla anguilla in an estuarine environment

Is European catfish a threat to eels in southern France?

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