American Eel
Anguilla rostrata
There has been a notable decline in the harvest of American eel population since
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American Eel |
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| The American eel (Anguilla
rostrata) has an intriguing and cryptic life history. They are
found in freshwater and estuarine systems from the southern tip of
Greenland, along the Atlantic coast of North America, through the Gulf of
Mexico and south to the coast of Venezuela and inland to the Great Lakes.
It is a catadromous species and only leaves the freshwater/estuarine systems
when it is ready to spawn and complete its lifecycle. Adult fish, 5 to
15 years old (or older) begin to metamorphose, changing from a brown/yellow
color to a gray upper and white under belly; known as "silvering".
Their pectoral fins and eyes also enlarge in order to prepare for their
journey to the open ocean. It is believed that the silver eels migrate
to the Sargasso Sea to reproduce, although there has been no documentation
of spawning events. Larval eels go through several drifting
metamorphoses before reaching the glass eel stage where they begin to
migrate to coastal waters. At the elver stage the eels develop the
brown/yellow coloration and move into fresh water systems where they
continue development to the yellow phase and live the major portion of their
lives. There has been a notable decline in the harvest of American eel population since
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