Time to fight for Eels

[Offshore]

The ASMFC action may be irrelevent anyway. The US Fish & Wildlife Service is considering a petition to "list" the American. If they do so, it will be declared either an "endangered" or a "threatened species".

If that occurs, it will be illegal to catch, transport, import or posess the eels anyplace in the US.

[Pete F.]

Does that mean there will be a "Sluggo" shortage next year?

[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

[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.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by Offshore

The ASMFC action may be irrelevent anyway. The US Fish & Wildlife Service is considering a petition to "list" the American. If they do so, it will be declared either an "endangered" or a "threatened species".

If that occurs, it will be illegal to catch, transport, import or posess the eels anyplace in the US.

The USF&WS and NOAA fisheries process is IMHO unlikely to list the eel as either endangered or threatened, if at all until about this time next year. They have unti the end of next July to make their preliminary decision, and if they think a listing is warranted there will be a peer review of the sceintific findings followed by a 90 Day public comment period followed by a thorty day waiting period. So any action likely won't happen until at least next Nov.

Furthermore, even if they do list the eel as threatened, there is no guarantee that all fishing for them will be stopped. Though IMHO it should be. Again IMHO, the eel will not be listed and the other regional fishery management groups (gulf coast and great lakes) will go along with whatever the ASMFC decides, which is why I consider their decision so important.