European Eel: Ecology, Threats and Conservation Status
Ogunola Oluniyi Solomon *
International Studies in Aquatic Tropical Ecology, University of Bremen, Germany.
Onada Olawale Ahmed
Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) stock was very abundant in the European waters until approximately over three decades ago when the stock began to decline drastically. Causes of the decline are believed to be a combination of overfishing of the eel in all its continental life stages: Glass eels, yellow eels and silver eels, deterioration of habitat by constructing hydropower plants, drainage of wetlands and pollution as well as climate change and introduced alien species, parasites and diseases. The purpose of this paper is to review the ecology, anti-demographic factors and various conservation efforts geared towards rebuilding the depleted stock.
Keywords: European eel, decline, ecology, anti-demographic, conservation efforts