Public comment

[Squibby17]

I fresh water fish a few times a year. I have caught eels in south shore ponds, lakes in Maine and one that was at least 3 feet long up at Lake Champlain.

So are these eels different than the ones dicussed.

If not how do they end up in land locked spot?

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by Squibby17

I fresh water fish a few times a year. I have caught eels in south shore ponds, lakes in Maine and one that was at least 3 feet long up at Lake Champlain.

So are these eels different than the ones dicussed.

If not how do they end up in land locked spot?

They migrate up streams and river and will even cross land during rainstorms. All of the eels you might see in freshwater in north america are the same American Eels that are born in the Saragasso sea.

Harvesting of elvers was (maybe still is) legal in NH and ME, IIRC they caught a large ring of poachers poaching elvers last spring in MA.

[Mr. Sandman]

In my view fishery managerment has lost credibility. This eel thing as all the elements of yet another fishery management botch job. They continue to make rulings on subjective scientific guestimates which has been their downfall. They claim that it is not their fault and it is the best science available (I think it is their fault)... The same will happen with the eel.
The same people (whomever they are)who brought us the other fishery disasters will muck up the eels too. Just watch.

Suggestion from the peanut gallery: If in fact the eel population is hardest hit by hydro-electric dams....FIX THE DAMS so that problem is a non-issue. Surely this is possible. If they could save the salmon with a fish latter they can do something for the eel. In fact I think it would be pretty easy. How come this is so long in comming?

Oh I forgot, give credit where credit is due: They saved the spiny dogfish, Lord knows we need more of them.

[Nebe]

as for fixing the dams, they have made ladders for eels. its a long brillow pad with water trickeling down it. Its perfect for the elvers to go up, but the big hawg moma eels wont use them going down they do get sucked up in the turbines

[striprman]

Originally Posted by Squibby17

I fresh water fish a few times a year. I have caught eels in south shore ponds, lakes in Maine and one that was at least 3 feet long up at Lake Champlain.

So are these eels different than the ones dicussed.

If not how do they end up in land locked spot?

If any water eventually makes it to the sea, eels will be there, even hundreds of miles inland.