I came across this thread from 2005, http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...ad.php?t=25061

Everyone towards the end of the thread was saying how grim the eel situation was and how 2006 was to be the last anyone saw of eels...Funny The info I got back then held true...They are not going to do anything...Looks like eels are here to stay as bait for at least another few years until a full and comprehensive study is done and, with the Goverment spearheading it it may take longer as they are so slow to do anything and on there priority list this one fell quite a few notches(I got this from some very reliable sources)..Its just funny how the whole issue died and basically went know where...Guess I can sling eels a while longer.

Why did it go away and now you dont hear anything about it? The truth is that they have no idea where to start there migration routes etc...the things are shrouded in mystery and it will take years to unravel..The other reason is I think cooler heads prevailed and they realized that few chopped up eels in some power plant in maine was just not a good enough reason to suddenly put them on the endaingered species list. All the talking heads two years ago with all the infanate knowledge on the plight of the eel and the truth is no one acually knows or can prove anything.What they need to do is CLAMP DOWN ON THE ILLEGAL GLASS EEL POACHING...going on and I think thats where the priority will be..

So to those who like fishing live eels...I can say I told you so back in 2005 , you can still fish em!

And you guys were drooling at the prospect of me losing my slimey buddies....Guess your all going to have to suffer thru many photos of cows again next season.....(Just kiddin).enjoy them snakes!

You're so smart. I love you Billy..:lm: :bshake: :rotf3:

You're so smart. I love you Billy..:lm: :bshake: :rotf3:


F/U...When do you want to measure that 1088? I am around tommorow...come by..
Make it around 10?

F/U...When do you want to measure that 1088? I am around tommorow...come by..
Make it around 10?

OK
Love that message u left...I feel the love..:hidin:

F//U BOTH :bl:

F//U BOTH :bl:

Holy F%$#@ S%$#@
WTF ub?
:huh: N/A
^%$#@:devil:

F//U BOTH :bl:

U tried that.....Remember

:behead:

i love those slimie black little bugers:love:

:jump:

You f #$%^&*

onlt time you call ya can,t even remember the next day ;)

You f #$%^&*

onlt time you call ya can,t even remember the next day ;)

http://www.diegotorres.com.ar/mensajeitor/foro/caritas/erstaunt090.gifhttp://img486.imageshack.us/img486/6389/jawdrop7rg.gifhttp://web.tiscali.it/pljnsky/smiles/eek2.gifhttp://forum.hkgolden.com/faces/donno.gif

Funny you posted that today, Just yesterday I wrote to Marsha Bell of the USF&WS asking about the status of the eel petition. I've said all along that I don't think they are going to list them as either threatened or endangered. But if they do, it's going to happen in a hurry at this point. I have no idea what has delayed them acting on the petition, but one thing I'm pretty sure of is that it's not to provide more time for study. By law they have to act on the petition. In other cases they have said that the declined to list the species because not enough is known to warrant a listing. They could do that with eels, but that's not the same as deferring a decision on the peition. If they were to take action on the petition (which is overdue at this point) it would have almost immediate effect, and we could kiss the eels goodbye for next season and a lot of season thereafter. As I said, I don't expect that to happen, but if it did happen it would definately affect eels availabilty next season.

so are you saying that they could decide to act on the petition at any point and we could lose the eels?

I am just hpoing I can use the skin plugs I am building this season. Looks good so far.

I came across this thread from 2005, http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...ad.php?t=25061

They are not going to do anything...Looks like eels are here to stay as bait for at least another few years

Good news, looks like you got a couple of years reprieve, before ya change your name to rubbaman. ;)

Good news, looks like you got a couple of years reprieve, before ya change your name to rubbaman. ;)

No that would be "Bunkerman"

Mike, From what I heard, they are going to decline the petition, we will have eels next season....

so are you saying that they could decide to act on the petition at any point and we could lose the eels?

Exactomundo!

Bill,
I think that's what they'll do, but I don't have any inside information on it. I would have thought that if it was so straight forward they would have already issued their decision, rather than making themselves look bad by being so late with it.

We don't think this is a good thing that they aren't doing anything do we? I am betting there is a good chance this ends up like cod. Wait till the population is too small to rebound before taking any steps. Typical political decision making.

We don't think this is a good thing that they aren't doing anything do we? I am betting there is a good chance this ends up like cod. Wait till the population is too small to rebound before taking any steps. Typical political decision making.

i'm with you zimmy; although i am happy that we will be able to use eels as bait, I can't help but wonder what impact and where the fishery is. hopefully there will be more comprehensive research so we aren't facing a disaster by the time any decision is made. I enjoy using eels but like the herring, i can deal without for some years if that can/will save the species.

Its a heck of a lot easier to replicate an eel or a herring to catch a striper than to try to catch the last striper b/c their not around due to a lack of bait. They should err on the side of caution.

We don't think this is a good thing that they aren't doing anything do we? I am betting there is a good chance this ends up like cod. Wait till the population is too small to rebound before taking any steps. Typical political decision making.

Your post is the point...They dont know what the population is, they dont even have a clue..data just isnt there..We dont have to "wait" for anything because we or they dont have a clue.......

In NJ they are going to require all commercial eel trap fishermen to make monthly reports so they can just begin to get an actual handle on what is being harvested and in what sizes, food or bait.

In NJ they are going to require all commercial eel trap fishermen to make monthly reports so they can just begin to get an actual handle on what is being harvested and in what sizes, food or bait.


I think at the worst, those are the type of things we will see

Your post is the point...They dont know what the population is, they dont even have a clue..data just isnt there..We dont have to "wait" for anything because we or they dont have a clue.......

Actually yours is the point.

"They" DON'T know you say.

The rest of the world says you can't collect data on what's not there.The eels ain't there,so how can one collect data on what's not there?

We/they DON'T have to wait because nobody has a clue?Again this is what you say.So by your rational its fish eels till someone else says you can't and by then its to late.

Many species have been brought to the brink or full extinction with that attitude.

Pro-activism is what kept many species from the brink,why should it be any differant with the eel.

"Bunkerman".Yup they're doing real good right about now.You're lit.

Smoke another rock.

Like that was needed.
I thought you're reply was interesting until I read that. That's how the flame wars begin...:rocketem:

Like that was needed.
I thought you're reply was interesting until I read that. That's how the flame wars begin...:rocketem:

You are very right and I apoligize to any who took offense to such a stupid remark.It was definetly an impulse knee-jerk moronic comment on my part.

Sorry.

Actually yours is the point.

"They" DON'T know you say.

The rest of the world says you can't collect data on what's not there.The eels ain't there,so how can one collect data on what's not there?

We/they DON'T have to wait because nobody has a clue?Again this is what you say.So by your rational its fish eels till someone else says you can't and by then its to late.

Many species have been brought to the brink or full extinction with that attitude.

Pro-activism is what kept many species from the brink,why should it be any differant with the eel.

"Bunkerman".Yup they're doing real good right about now.You're lit.


I think if you take a look at the state of maine you may get an ansewr, Glass eels which are imature are being sold illegaly at the rate of 100s of thousands a pounds, so There are certainly huge numbers of eels, what they dont know anything about is there migration patterns and breeding activity etc...

By the way, I am not a drug addict of any kind so I am not lit.

And yes, my attitude is to fish eels until the scientists tell me I cant, why would I not? Its not my job to make the determination that there are no eels left??

Bunker on the other hand is a great story! they are back in huge numbers!!!

The big problem with eels, since they take close to 30 years to mature and then only breed once, is that we could already be well into the disaster, and just not realize it yet. We have no idea of what the age structure of the eel population is. They could all be roughly the same age and when they leave to breed there will be none left.

If they end up on the endagered list, you can forgetabout EVER using them as a bait agian. What species has ever recoved from the endagered list that was then comm'ly harvested? None that I know about. (some that should be...ie. seals)

I have no idea if the eels will be listed as threatened or endangered. But as far as the process goes, the outcome could be published in the federal register any day, once published there is a 60-day public comment period before they are listed (or not).

However, the scientists who try to count eels do have enough data to show in the 2006 stock assessment that "things look pretty grim... there is or does seem to be a decline in abundance to near historical levels... managers should utilize a precautionary approach" (quoting eel scientist Matthew Cieri)

The Eel Management Board (ASMFC) has heard this and is in the process of coming up with new regulations - in fact they are meeting on this Monday January 29 to hear presentations on management options to reduce eel harvest. The agenda also says that the board will “Possibly Initiate Management Action.” The management options that will likely be presented are basically gear restrictions (smaller openings in eel pots) and 30-day closures by region to correspond with eel downstream migrations - their priority seems to be in protecting those fully mature eels that are trying to make their way out to sea to spawn and die.

The part the scientists and managers understand the least is how many eels are already being harvested, how much harvesting would need to be cut to increase eel population to a given population size, what that population size should be, if harvest should be reduced coastwide or in specific regions, and what effect harvest reductions will have, if any.

If you are concerned about protecting eels as striper forage, I'd recommend contacting the eel management board members and telling them you would like them to take a precautionary approach to reduce harvest as they have been advised by their scientists. You can find their contact info at the ASMFC website.

I just heard from the project coordinator that the finding is complete and is at the office of the federal register for printing. She didn't know exactly when it would be published, but it is imminent. She also would'nt say what the finding was, but we should know shortly.