Spawning Migration of the European Eel Reproduction Index, a Use
The European eel Anguilla anguilla is a common fish species in West European countries supporting several thousands of small-scale fisheries. In June 2007, it has been listed in Annex B of CITES after the 99% decline in recruitment observed over the last
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Spawning Migration of the European Eel Reproduction index, a useful tool for conservation management
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Spawning Migration of the European Eel
FISH & FISHERIES SERIES VOLUME 30 Series Editors: David L.G. Noakes, Fisheries & Wildlife Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA
For other titles published in this series, go to http://www.springer.com/series/5973
Guido van den Thillart • Sylvie Dufour J. Cliff Rankin Editors
Spawning Migration of the European Eel Reproduction Index, a Useful Tool for Conservation Management
Editors Guido van den Thillart Institute of Biology Leiden University POB 9516, 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands
Sylvie Dufour Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle DMPA, UMR CNRS 5178 “Biology of Marine Organisms and Ecosystems” 7 rue Cuvier, CP 32 75231 Paris cedex 05 France
J. Cliff Rankin Department of Chemical and Biological Science University of Huddersfield Queensgate, HD1 3DH UK
Cover picture: European silver eels in swimming tunnels at Leiden University Photograph by: David Doubilet Reproduced with kind permission of Undersea Images Inc, New York, USA
ISBN 978-1-4020-9094-3
e-ISBN 978-1-4020-9095-0
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008934776 © 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Printed on acid-free paper springer.com
Volume Foreword
Freshwater eels are almost infinitely improbable creatures. They spawn and die in the middle of the ocean, often associated with undersea mountains. Their transparent, leaf-like larvae move with ocean currents for months or years until they approach the mouths of freshwater rivers. Then they undergo a dramatic transformation in morphology, physiology and behavior. They move from their planktonic oceanic environment, migrate upstream and live for several years as apex freshwater predators. Then, almost impossibly, as they become sexually mature, they reverse their migration downstream to the ocean and back to spawning grounds to complete their life cycle. The dramatic changes in their life cycles are incredible. The efforts to unravel the details of their life history have been truly daunting. Much of the past research was the work of dedicated individuals who devoted their lifetime research to these fishes. Freshwater eels merit a separate chapter in almost any textbook dealing with ichthyology, marine biology or animal migration. We know a great deal about some aspects of the biology of freshwater eels. However, our understanding of their biology still resembles a work of art as much as a work of science. To some it appears like the sweeping brush strokes of a Japanese Zen landscape, to others it resembles the work of a
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