Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The American Eel: A Fish of Mystery and Sustenance for Humans

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Eels and Humans

Part of the book series: Humanity and the Sea ((HUMSEA))

Abstract

The American eel, Anguilla rostrata, is, in many ways, a typical anguillid in body shape and size and life cycle (Fig. 11.1), and also in that people who encountered it and needed sustenance always found it to be excellent food. It lives in watersheds adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico to Atlantic Canada (Fig. 11.2) and it has been caught and eaten by humans in all parts of its range at one time or another. The American eel has been important in the lives of many people historically and still is today, but its importance has been largely unnoticed by many. Probably as much as for any anguillid eel in the world, however, anthropogenic activities and particularly dam-building have reduced the area in which the species once lived (Fig. 11.2).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Algonquins of Ontario (2012) Returning Kichisippi Pimisi—the American eel—to the Ottawa River basin. Algonquins of Ontario consultation office, Pembroke, 14 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • ASMFC (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission) (2012) ASMFC stock assessment overview: American eel, May 2012, 6 pp. www.asmfc.org

  • Boëtius J, Harding EF (1985) A re-examination of Johannes Schmidt's Atlantic eel investigations. Dana 4:129–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonhommeau S, Chassot E, Planque B, Rivot E, Knap AH, Le Pape O (2008) Impact of climate on eel populations of the northern hemisphere. Mar Ecol Progress Ser 373:71–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casselman JM (2003) Dynamics of resources of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata: declining abundance in the 1990s. In: Aida K, Tsukamoto K, Yamauchi K (eds) Eel biology. Springer, Tokyo, pp 255–274

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Casselman JM, Cairns DK (eds) (2009) Eels at the edge: science, status, and conservation concerns. Proceedings of the 2003 international eel symposium, vol 58. American Fisheries Society Symposium, Bethesda, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Casselman JM, Marcogliese LA, Hodson PV (1997a) Recruitment index for the upper St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario eel stock: a re-examination of eel passage at the R. H. Saunders hydroelectric generating station at Cornwall, Ontario, 1974–1995. In: Peterson RH (ed) The American eel in eastern Canada: stock status and management strategies. Proceedings of the eel workshop, Québec City, 13–14 January 1997, Can Tech Rep Fish Aquat Sci 2196:161–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Casselman JM, Marcogliese LA, Stewart T, Hodson PV (1997b) Status of the upper St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario American eel stock—1996. In: Peterson RH (ed) The American eel in eastern Canada: stock status and management strategies. Proceedings of the eel workshop, Québec City, 13–14 January 1997, Can Tech Rep Fish Aquat Sci 2196:106–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Castonguay M, Hodson PV, Couillard CM, Eckersley MJ, Dutil JD, Verreault G (1994) Why is recruitment of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata, declining in the St Lawrence River and Gulf? Can J Fish Aquat Sci 51:479–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CESAR (Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability) (2010) Petition to list American eel (Anguilla rostrata) as a threatened species under the endangered species act. www.fws.gov/northeast/newsroom/pdf/American_eel_petition_100430.pdf

  • Chow S, Kurogi H, Mochioka N, Kaji S, Okazaki M, Tsukamoto K (2009) Discovery of mature freshwater eels in the open ocean. Fish Sci 75:257–259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) (2012) COSEWIC assessment and status report on the American eel Anguilla rostrata in Canada. Committee on the status of endangered wildlife in Canada, Ottawa. xii+, 109 pp. www.registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm

  • Dekker W (1998) Long-term trends in the glass eels immigrating at Den Oever, the Netherlands. Bull Fr Peche Piscic 349:199–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dekker W, Casselman JM, Cairns DK, Tsukamoto K, Jellyman D, Lickers H (2003) Worldwide decline of eel resources necessitates immediate action: Québec declaration of concern. Fisheries 28:2830

    Google Scholar 

  • du Creux E (1664) History of Canada or New France, vol 1. The Champlain Society, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Facey DE, Van Den Avyle MJ (1987) Species profiles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (North Atlantic): American eel. Biological report 82(11.74). Biological report US fish and wildlife service 82(11.74). US Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4, 1987, 28 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahay MP (1978) Biological and fisheries data on American eel, Anguilla rostrata (LeSueur). US Department of Commerce, national marine service technical report, vol 17, Northeast Fisheries Center, Highlands, 82 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedland KD, Miller MJ, Knights B (2007) Oceanic changes in the Sargasso Sea and declines in recruitment of the European eel. ICES J Mar Sci 64:519–530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haro A (2003) Downstream migration of silver phase anguillid eels. In: Aida K, Tsukamoto K, Yamauchi K (eds) Eel biology. Springer, Tokyo, pp 215–222

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Haro AJ, Castro-Santos T (2000) Behavior and passage of silver phase American eels, Anguilla rostrata (LeSueur), at a small hydroelectric facility. Dana 12:33–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Haro AJ, Krueger WH (1988) Pigmentation, size, and migration of elvers (Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur)) in a coastal Rhode-Island stream. Can J Zool 66:2528–2533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haro A, Richkus W, Whalen K, Hoar A, Busch W-D, Lary S, Brush T et al (2000) Population decline of the American eel: implications for research and management. Fisheries 25:7–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helfman GS, Clark JB (1986) Rotational feeding: overcoming gape-limited foraging in anguillid eels. Copeia 1986:679–685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helfman GS, Facey DE, Hales S, Bozeman EL (1987) Reproductive ecology of the American eel. In: Dadswell MJ, Klauda RJ, Moffitt CM, Saunders RL, Rulifson RA, Cooper JE (eds) Common strategies of anadromous and catadromous fishes, vol 1. American Fisheries Society Symposium, Bethesda, pp 42–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Hjort J (1910) Eel larvae from the central Atlantic. Nature 85:104–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurrell JW (2005) Decadal trends in the North Atlantic oscillation: regional temperatures and precipitations. Science 269:676–679

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jessop BM (2010) Geographic effects on American eel (Anguilla rostrata) life history characteristics and strategies. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 67:326–346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jessop BM, Cairns DK, Thibault I, Tzeng WN (2008) Life history of American eel Anguilla rostrata: new insights from otolith microchemistry. Aquat Biol 1:205–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Junker-Andersen C (1988) The eel fisheries of the St Lawrence Iroquoians. North Am Archaeol 9:97–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleckner RC, McCleave JD (1985) Spatial and temporal distribution of American eel larvae in relation to North Atlantic Ocean current systems. Dana 4:67–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleckner RC, McCleave JD (1988) The northern limit of spawning by Atlantic eels (Anguilla spp.) in the Sargasso Sea in relation to thermal fronts and surface water masses. J Mar Res 46:647–667

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleckner RC, McCleave JD, Wippelhauser GS (1983) Spawning of American eel, Anguilla rostrata, relative to thermal fronts in the Sargasso Sea. Environ Biol Fish 9:289–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knights B (2003) A review of the possible impacts of long-term oceanic and climate changes and fishing mortality on recruitment of anguillid eels of the northern hemisphere. Sci Total Environ 310:237–244

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krueger WH, Oliveira K (1999) Evidence for environmental sex determination in the American eel. Environ Biol Fish 55:381–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuroki M, Tsukamoto K (2012) Eels on the move: mysterious creatures over millions of years. Tokai University Press, Tokyo, 278 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • MacGregor R, Casselman J, Greig L, Dettmers J, Allen WA, McDermott L, Haxton T (2012) Draft recovery strategy for the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) in Ontario. Ontario recovery strategy series. Prepared for Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, Ontario, x +pp 128+ Appendices

    Google Scholar 

  • McCleave JD (2001) Simulation of the impact of dams and fishing weirs on reproductive potential of silver-phase American eels in the Kennebec River Basin, Maine. North Am J Fish Manag 21:592–605

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCleave JD (2003) Spawning areas of the Atlantic eels. In: Aida K, Tsukamoto K, Yamauchi K (eds) Eel biology. Springer, Japan, pp 141–155

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • McCleave JD, Kleckner RC (1982) Selective tidal stream transport in the estuarine migration of glass eels of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata). J Cons Int Explor Mer 40:262–271

    Google Scholar 

  • McCleave JD, Kleckner RC, Castonguay M (1987) Reproductive sympatry of American and European eels and implications for migration and taxonomy. In: Dadswell MJ, Klauda RJ, Moffitt CM, Saunders RL, Rulifson RA, Cooper JE (eds) Common strategies of anadromous and catadromous fishes, vol 1. American Fisheries Society Symposium, Bethesda, pp 286–297

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller MJ, McCleave JD (1994) Species assemblages of leptocephali in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. J Mar Res 52:743–772

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller MJ, Kimura S, Friedland KD, Knights B, Kim H, Jellyman DJ, Tsukamoto K (2009) Review of ocean-atmospheric factors in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans influencing spawning and recruitment of anguillid eels. In: Haro AJ, Smith KL, Rulifson RA, Moffitt CM, Klauda RJ, Dadswell MJ, Cunjak RA et al (eds) Challenges for diadromous fishes in a dynamic global environment, vol 69. American Fisheries Society Symposium, Bethesda, pp 231–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller MJ, Chikaraishi Y, Ogawa NO, Yamada Y, Tsukamoto K, Ohkouchi N (2013) A low trophic position of Japanese eel larvae indicates feeding on marine snow. Biol Lett 9:20120826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Munk P, Hansen MM, Maes GE, Nielsen TG, Castonguay M, Riemann L, Sparholt H et al (2010) Oceanic fronts in the Sargasso Sea control the early life and drift of Atlantic eels. Proc R Soc Ser B 277:3593–3599

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira K (1999) Life history characteristics and strategies of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 56:795–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira K, Hable WE (2010) Artificial maturation, fertilization, and early development of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata). Can J Zool 88:1121–1128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira K, McCleave JD (2000) Variation in population and life history traits of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata, in four rivers in Maine. Environ Biol Fish 59:141–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orr RB (1917) Ontario Indians: their fish, fisheries, and fishing appliances. 29th annual archaeological report. King’s Printer, Toronto, pp 24–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker SJ (1995) Homing ability and home range of yellow-phase American eels in a tidally dominated estuary. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 75:127–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pennisi E (1991) Gone eeling: luck and science face off in two eel-seeking adventures. Sci News 140:297–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prosek J (2010) Eels: an exploration, from New Zealand to the Sargasso, of the world’s most mysterious fish. Harper–Collins, New York, p 287

    Google Scholar 

  • Richkus WA, Dixon DA (2003) Review of research and technologies on passage and protection of downstream migrating catadromous eels at hydroelectric facilities. In: Dixon DA (ed) Biology, management, and protection of catadromous eels, vol 33. American Fisheries Society Symposium, Bethesda, pp 377–388

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt J (1922) The breeding places of the eel. Phil Trans R Soc B 211:179–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt J (1927) Eel larvae in the Faroe channel. J Cons Int Explor Mer 2:38–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt J (1935) Danish eel investigations during 25 years (1905–1930). The Carlsberg Foundation, Copenhagen, 16 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoth M, Tesch F-W (1982) Spatial distribution of 0-group eel larvae (Anguilla sp.) in the Sargasso Sea. Helgoländer Meeresun 35:309–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shinoda A, Aoyama J, Miller MJ, Otake T, Mochioka N, Watanabe S, Minegishi Y et al (2011) Evaluation of the larval distribution and migration of the Japanese eel in the western North Pacific. Rev Fish Biol Fish 21:591–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tesch F-W (2003) The eel: biology and management of anguillid eels. Blackwell, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Tesch F-W, Wegner G (1990) The distribution of small larvae of Anguilla sp. related to hydrographic conditions 1981 between Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Int Rev Hydrobol Hydrogr 75:845–858

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thwaites RG (1903) A new discovery of a vast country in America, by Father Louis Hennepin. A. C. McClurg and Co, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsukamoto K (1992) Discovery of the spawning area for Japanese eel. Nature 356:789–791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsukamoto K, Aoyama J, Miller MJ (2009) The present status of the Japanese eel: resources and recent research. In: Casselman JM, Cairns DK (eds) Eels at the edge: science, status, and conservation concerns, vol 58. American Fisheries Society Symposium, Bethesda, pp 21–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsukamoto K, Chow S, Otake T, Kurogi H, Mochioka N, Miller MJ, Aoyama J et al (2011) Oceanic spawning ecology of freshwater eels in the western North Pacific. Nat Commun 2:179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsukamoto K, Mochioka N, Miller MJ, Koyama S, Watanabe S, Aoyama J (2013) Video observation of an eel in the Anguilla japonica spawning area along the West Mariana Ridge. Fish Sci 79:407–416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service) (2005) Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; 90-day finding on a petition to list the American eel as threatened or endangered. Fed Reg 70(128):38849–38861

    Google Scholar 

  • USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service) (2007) Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; 12-month finding on a petition to list the American eel as threatened or endangered. Fed Reg 72(22):4967–4997, Available at www.archives.gov

    Google Scholar 

  • Verreault G, Pettigrew P, Tardif R, Pouliot G (2003) The exploitation of the migrating silver American eel in the St. Lawrence River estuary, Québec, Canada. In: Dixon DA (ed) Biology, management, and protection of catadromous eels, vol 33. American Fisheries Society Symposium, Bethesda, pp 225–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Wippelhauser GS, McCleave JD (1988) Rhythmic activity of migrating juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata LeSueur). J Mar Biol Assoc UK 68:81–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wirth T, Bernatchez L (2003) Decline of North Atlantic eels: a fatal synergy? Proc R Soc London B 270:681–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Knowledge of the relationships between the American eel and humankind by many others gave the perspective needed for us to write parts of this chapter. In addition, Alex J. Haro provided some of the artwork material, and James Prosek willingly gave both useful information and artwork material.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan

    Michael J. Miller

  2. Department of Biology, Queen’s University, 2406 Biosciences Complex, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, ON, Canada, K7L 3N6

    John M. Casselman

Authors
  1. Michael J. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John M. Casselman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael J. Miller .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Marine Science and Resources, Nihon University College of Bioresource Sciences, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan

    Katsumi Tsukamoto

  2. The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Mari Kuroki

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Japan

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Miller, M.J., Casselman, J.M. (2014). The American Eel: A Fish of Mystery and Sustenance for Humans. In: Tsukamoto, K., Kuroki, M. (eds) Eels and Humans. Humanity and the Sea. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54529-3_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation