Study

Early settlement and growth of stocked European glass eels in a fragmented watercourse

  • Published source details Félix P.M., Costa J.L., Quintella B.R., Almeida P.R., Monteiro R., Santos J., Portela T. & Domingos I. (2021) Early settlement and growth of stocked European glass eels in a fragmented watercourse. Fisheries Management and Ecology, 28, 91-100.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Translocate wild eels to re-establish or boost native populations (‘stocking’ or ‘restocking’)

Action Link
Eel Conservation in Inland Habitats
  1. Translocate wild eels to re-establish or boost native populations (‘stocking’ or ‘restocking’)

    A study in 20142016 in a river in central Portugal (Félix et al. 2020) reported that translocated wild European eels Anguilla anguilla dispersed upstream and grew in length and weight. After six months, translocated wild eels had dispersed at least 3.6 km upstream of release sites. Overall, translocated eels increased in length by an average of 4142 mm/year. Eels at the site furthest downstream had greater average increases in length (4859 mm/year) and weight (2.16.9 g/year) than those at two sites upstream (2945 mm/year; 1.52.3 g/year). In April 2014, glass eels were released at three sites (18,20021,750 eels/site) along a 9.5-km stretch of river with eight low-head weirs. Eels were obtained from a fishery in a river in Portugal, and acclimatized before release. No eels were recorded in the river during surveys in MarchApril 2014 before translocation. Backpack electrofishing was carried out in sampling areas (≥100-m long) at each of the three release sites, and an additional site upstream, every three months from April 2014 to April 2015 and in April 2016. Recaptured eels were measured, weighed and released.

    (Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)

Output references
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