Research Document - 2011/046

2010 Update on the status and progress on management goals for American Eel in Ontario

By A. Mathers and T.C. Pratt

Abstract

American Eel recruitment to Ontario waters has declined by approximately 97% since the early 1980s. Two fisheries-independent yellow eel abundance indices show similar declines over the same timeframe. The American Eel is identified as an Endangered Species under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) 2007, which prohibits the killing, harming, harassing, possessing, buying, selling, trading, leasing or transporting of this species. In 2005, the Canadian Eel Steering Committee for Downstream Passage and Habitat Issues developed a “Decision Analysis” aimed at developing mitigation measures to increase the number of eels migrating out of the St. Lawrence River (SLR). Ontario commercial eel fisheries were closed in 2004 and the recreational fishery for eels was closed in 2005. A yellow eel trap and transport pilot project was initiated in 2008 as part of the Ontario Power Generation Action Plan for offsetting turbine mortality of American Eel at the Saunders GS on the SLR. Large eels, >800 mm, captured as by-catch from existing multi-species commercial fisheries in Lake Ontario and SLR were transported around the two generating stations or released back into SLR. Between 2008 and 2010, over 3,000 eels have been transferred downstream of all barriers to facilitate safe downstream migration. Preliminary results suggest that some of these fish do migrate out of the SLR successfully, however it seems unlikely that the numbers of eel transported can be increased significantly with the current approach to capturing them. Moreover stocking with glass eels and elvers from Atlantic Canada began in 2006 as a means of maintaining the presence of eels in these waters. Approximately 4 million eels have been stocked into Lake Ontario and the SLR. Stocked eels appear to be surviving well, growing rapidly and distributing from the stockings sites, however it is not yet known if these stocked eels will contribute to the spawning stock. Estimates indicate that eel mortality in Ontario have been reduced by more than 50% relative to the 1997 to 2002 reference point. This decline can be attributed to the closure of the Ontario fisheries and to the very steep decline in abundance of eels in Ontario.

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