American
eel (Anguilla rostrata) are an important resource from
both a biodiversity and human use perspective. In all its life
stages, eel serve as an important prey species for many fish,
aquatic mammals, and fish-eating birds. Although fisheries are
a fraction of what they were historically, eel support valuable
commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries.
American
eel are a particularly challenging species to conserve and manage
on a coastwide basis for a number of reasons. During its life-span
the American eel will have navigated through and resided in a
wide range of habitats, including the oceanic waters of the Sargasso
Sea, the brackish waters of coastal estuaries, and the inland
freshwater river systems. Additionally, throughout this journey,
the American eel will have been under a myriad of management authorities,
from the high seas to multiple federal, state and local governments.
While these factors can create difficulties in implementing a
comprehensive and all-inclusive management strategy, it also provides
an opportunity for increased coordination between the various
managing agencies and the ability to connect essential fish habitat,
which may benefit other species as well.
From a biological
perspective, much is still unknown about the species. Information
about abundance and status at all life stages, as well as habitat
requirements, is very limited. The life history of the species,
such as late age of maturity and a tendency for certain life stages
to aggregate, can make this species particularly vulnerable to
overharvest. A coastwide stock assessment has begun and is expected
to be complete in 2011. In addition, coordinated efforts for effective
American eel management have begun throughout most of the species’
range, including Canada. <species
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