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Eelman Records
"EEL"
RESEARCH INSTITUTE
MISSION STATEMENT
To raise awareness
on 'eel matters'.
If you have any favourite 'eeling' stories, images, video we are interested in talking to you!
USE OUR EELMAIL
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NOTICES
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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS FISHERIES (FRESHWATER EEL TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCHES)
NOTICE
2000 SR 2000/139
This notice, which comes into force on 1/10/00, sets total allowable catches for FRESHWATER EELS subject to the quota management system.
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FISHERIES (REPORTING) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS (No 2) 2000 SR 2000/153 These regulations, which come into force on 1/10/00, amend the Fisheries (Reporting) Regulations 1990 to reflect the introduction of the South Island freshwater eel fishery into the quota management system on that date.
EELMAN LAST SEEN IN THE MEKONG DELTA REGION VIETNAM,
CHECKING OUT EEL FARMING AND LOCAL RESTAURANTS -
-more details SOON IN EELFACTS EEL
RECIPIES USED IN VIETNAM |
EEL FACTS & STORIES
EELS | EEL SONGS | EELS IN LITERATURE | EEL FARMING | EEL RECEPIES
EEL - SHOPPING | EELS IN NEW ZEALAND | OTHER EELS | - index |
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An introduction on eels
Auckland Regional Council
Regional Water Board - Conversation Week 1991
EELS
- fascinating and misunderstood
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Our
very own, much-maligned New Zealand eel is one of the
most interesting and. misunderstood of our fish. While
they are not a small fish, it is worthwhile taking time
to study the eel, because eels are so common in our
waters.
There are two species of eel in New Zealand. The longfinned
eel is endemic (found only) in New Zealand, and the
shortfined eel is common to Australia and some South
Pacific islands.
Eels generally feed on stream insects, snails, young
koura and similar small things. Only very large eels
feed to any significant degree on other fish.
In order to breed, both species migrate downstream in
autumn or early winter. Their age at migration varies
with species and sex; shortfinned maies migrate at an
average age of ~ 3 years, whereas longfinned female
eels don't migrate on average until they have reached
the astonishing age of 33 years!
In order to migrate, they will even cross wet vegetation
to reach streams from dams, ponds or other isolated
pieces of water.
As they migrate, the eels undergo changes in appearance,
becoming darker in colour, and their eyes become very
large. When they leave the freshwater and enter the
sea, the eels stop feeding. Their digestive tract degenerates
and they never feed again.
Nobody knows for sure where they all go to spawn, but
the spawning grounds could be as far away as off the
east coast of Australia. However migrating New Zealand
eels have a relatively low fat content, suggesting that
their spawning grounds may not be as far away as was
originally thought. Breeding is thought to occur in deep water, and after it has taken place, the adults die. The fertilised eggs float to the surface and hatch into leaf-shaped larvae which then drift with the ocean currents, feeding on plankton.
When the larvae reach the continental shelf, they metamorphose
(change shape) into miniature transparent eels called "glass eels". It seems that this change is stimulated
by the presence of traces of freshwater from land runoff.
The glass eels enter rivers, coastal streams and wetlands
where they again change form and become pigmented (develop
some colour). At this stage they are called elvers -
young eels.
The shortfinned eel and smaller male longfinned eels
tend to inhabit lowland streams and riVers, while if
you find a large eel in an upland stream, it will probably
be a female longfinned eel. It has been suggested that
where eels finally settle determines which sex they
become - rather than the sex of the eel determining
where it finally decides to live! |
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Regional
Water Board - Conversation Week 1991
"Small is Beautiful"
Auckland Regional Council
Auckland
New Zealand |
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