Comment
The American Eel was one of the most interesting species of fish that I was able to assist in researching during my previous employment with MNRF. Learning of this species life cycle provided a clear understanding of the difficult journey they face. Their rapid population decline is impacted by so many factors including fragmentation on the watercourses (I.e. hydroelectric dams).
Through the multiple years of research I was involved with (thousands of hours electrofishing many different watercourses along Lake Ontario), only a handful of adult, mature eels were collected. The remaining eels collected were from release programs near the Bay of Quinte. It demonstrated that a very small number of eels were making it to maturity and even fewer were making their way back to the ocean for spawning.
We have already done so much damage to their habitat through the damming of their migration path that they deserve as much protection as we can provide to them. I believe by placing American Eel under the ESA protection, it will help in their rapid decline.
[Original Comment ID: 211890]
Submitted February 12, 2018 2:40 PM
Comment on
Development of the government response statement for American Eel under the Endangered Species Act, 2007
ERO number
013-1476
Comment ID
1850
Commenting on behalf of
Comment status