Eel

The eel is well known by many anglers as a famous international marine traveller, completing only part of its life cycle in freshwater or around the coast. There is a great deal of mystery surrounding the eel and its biology, indeed it was only until the close of the last century that eels were still believed to have originated from the hairs of dead sailors, or from the hairs of a stallion’s tail, which drifted and mutated into living eels!  Of course today our understanding of the eel is somewhat more scientific, however there is still much we do not know about this mysterious fish.

Spawning is believed to take place in the spring, deep in the Sargasso Sea between Bermuda and the Bahamas, not far in fact from the equally mysterious Bermuda Triangle.  It is understood that all of our European eels that migrate and spawn within this general area, travelling a distance of some 3,400 miles.

During spawning the female is believed carry up to 10 million eggs, which following fertilisation develop into larva called leptocephalus, which migrate to the European coast using oceanic currents. This journey takes about 12 months, and the leaf shaped larvae swim at speeds of between one and five miles per hour.

When the larvae reach Europe they change into the "glass eel" stage. These enter freshwater during the spring, with the peak of the migration taking place on the increasing tides in April and May. Here they change colour into the familiar dark elvers which many of us saw as children, using the tidal currents they migrate upstream during the flood tide. The young eels shelter near the river bank during the ebb tide to avoid being washed downstream, and this is when they are more easily caught by elver fishermen. Some eels remain in coastal waters where they feed and grow in the sea, while others may migrate to and from freshwater throughout their life.

Eels live on or near the bottom of rivers and lakes, migrating slowly upstream. During this period they are commonly referred to as yellow or brown eels due to their colour. Many male eels remain in the lower reaches, whereas females often move further upstream. Therefore, females tend to dominate in the upper reaches of a river where the eels are fewer but larger.

Eels feed mainly on invertebrates, although larger individuals may also eat other fish. Eels are often accused of eating large quantities of salmonid eggs and fry, although scientific evidence suggests that this is unfounded.

Male eels stay in freshwater for between 7 and 12 years, maturing at a length of about 36cm. Females stay between 9 and 16 years, maturing at the slightly larger size of 46cm. Eels can live much longer and grow much larger, reaching up to a metre in length. When the fish mature they change to a blue/silver colour (known as "silver eels") and migrate seaward during the autumn, usually on dark, stormy nights. They then complete the journey to the Sargasso Sea where they spawn and die.

Other Eel Facts.

• Eel blood is extremely toxic, causing muscular cramps, which can effect the heart.  Only 0.1ml/kg is enough to kill a small mammal such as a rabbit!
• Eels are an important staple for many different species, including otter, bittern and heron.
• The current rod caught record for a freshwater eel is believed by many to be the toughest to beat, standing at an amazing 11lb 2oz (5.046 kilos) captured in 1978 from Kingfisher Lake, near Ringwood in Hamps.