Time to fight for Eels

[zimmy]

as I said in an other post, my former advisor who is scienc edirector at asmfc tells me that public comment is statistically evaluated and seriously considered. The more input they get from us, the more it is considered. I am sending my letter this evening. I don't think its even a band-aid. Its more like taking the temperature of a person in cardiac arrest.

[chief10]

I read the ASMFC addendum 1. someone pleased explain to me where the actual facts are that the eel is in danger. the amendment clearly says most states have no idea what the population is good or bad. It looks like Massachusetts wants to monitor the harvesting of eels to keep track of it.ok but option 2 refers to keeping track of unreported cash sales of tackle shops?? years ago I heard of poachers from maine getting caught illegally harvestings elvers. how many saltwater rec.fisherman do you know that would trap and keep a tiny eel. when they pass this management plan what will be the net result? you can buy eels but moving forward the state will be able to manage the situation more closely? or no eels period? or the pass the plan then the year after they use the info we supply to shut down the fishery?

[Sweetwater]

If the american eel is in trouble, it would do us all well to participate in conservation. Similarly for river herring. While fisherman use a rather low percentage of eels (compared to eels used for food consumption in Europe and Asia), if we think about the future, our children, and grandchildren; we shouldn't be short-sighted here.

It would be nice to set a "quota" rather than a "ban" and maybe a "set-aside" for use by domestic (US/Canada) fishermen, but we live in a world where humans have a dramatic impact on the environment. Think this through before you take a stand one way or the other.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by Sweetwater

If the american eel is in trouble, it would do us all well to participate in conservation. Similarly for river herring. While fisherman use a rather low percentage of eels (compared to eels used for food consumption in Europe and Asia), if we think about the future, our children, and grandchildren; we shouldn't be short-sighted here.

Most of the eels used for food in Europe and Asia are different eels than the American Eel that we are talking about here. I forget the exact percentage, but the amount of eels used by fishermen for bait is not a small percentage of the total catch.

[ronfish]

MakoMike- From reading the postings I think most respondents believe that the American eel is being overfished when the main problem is the adults being killed by the power plant turbines while they migrate back to the sea. Add to this the dams which are keeping the young from reaching the freshwater growing grounds and it doesn't take much to completely deplete the species. If the root cause of the problem isn't addressed then the powers that be can ban fishing for them, etc. but the eel will become extinct. I know many of the areas where 30-40 yrs. ago you could fill a boat with eels now you see none, and alot of it has to do with coastal development and a power plant.
Banning using eels without rectifying the main problem isn't going to increase the population. To me the wrong agency is looking inot the problem. Just my $.02. Ron

[MoroneSaxatilis]

Originally Posted by chief10

...but option 2 refers to keeping track of unreported cash sales of tackle shops??

Ummm.... if these sales are unreported, then by their very nature...... uhhh... nevermind.
Is that language actually In the addendum?

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by ronfish

MakoMike- From reading the postings I think most respondents believe that the American eel is being overfished when the main problem is the adults being killed by the power plant turbines while they migrate back to the sea. Add to this the dams which are keeping the young from reaching the freshwater growing grounds and it doesn't take much to completely deplete the species. If the root cause of the problem isn't addressed then the powers that be can ban fishing for them, etc. but the eel will become extinct. I know many of the areas where 30-40 yrs. ago you could fill a boat with eels now you see none, and alot of it has to do with coastal development and a power plant.
Banning using eels without rectifying the main problem isn't going to increase the population. To me the wrong agency is looking inot the problem. Just my $.02. Ron

You are absolutely right if what you are saying is that fishing for eels is only part of the problem. But that is the only aspect that the ASMFC can control. IMHO eel fishing has got be addressed, preferably in conjunction with other restrictions on dams, but we have to dramatically decrease all eel mortality, no matter what the cause.

Chef,
The asians mostly use native eels as well as some farm rasied American eels, the Europeans also import some American eels but mostly use european eels, which are a different species than the American eel.

[ronfish]

MakoMike- Last year about this time I remember reading quite a bit about a couple of brothers trying to get the American eel placeed on the endangered species list because of the affect the hydroelectric dams (in Maine I think) were having on the population. The dams were stopping the elvers from ascending the rivers to get to fresh water to grow and the dams were killing the adults which were trying to get back out to sea because of the turbines. You might try a Goggle search and find out some more on the topic.
I agree that the AFSME is the one agency looking at the fishing aspect of the eel but the Feds are also loking at it from a different perspective(endangered species). I hope the eels are declared endangered because that will cause the power companies to make the changes needed in their operation to protect the eels, and many other species which ustilize the salt/fresh water interface for breeding and growth. Ron

[cheferson]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Most of the eels used for food in Europe and Asia are different eels than the American Eel that we are talking about here.

What kind of eels do they use? I thought the asians imported a lot of american and european eel elvers and then grew them to market size? Also thought that euopean eels and american eels are the same species.

[Offshore]

For years there has been an two eel fisheries in Maine. In the Spring, the elvers were netted and shopped to the orient. That practice has beeen curtailed, if not stopped.

During the season, adult eels are netted and shipped to Europe. That was the case a few years back and I assume it still is.

[reelecstasy]

Wednesday, January 25 at the MSBA monthly meeting
Rigging and fishing Sluggo's, Steve McKenna
Steve McKenna of On The Water magazine will be giving a presentation on rigging sluggo's as well as effective methods of fishing them from shore. Steve also may mention a few sweet spots to fish sluggo's, so bring your map book...