Islanders asked to report sightings of rare eel
Guernsey residents are being asked to report current and past sightings of European eels to help conservationists understand where the critically endangered fish still occurs on the island. The information could support efforts to protect and reconnect freshwater habitats, which have been degraded and fragmented by drainage, pollution, land clearance and infrastructure.
European eel numbers have fallen by 95% since the 1980s, according to the Guernsey Nature Commission. The commission and Guernsey Water are also using environmental DNA samples from ponds and streams; eels hatch in the Sargasso Sea, grow in freshwater and later return to sea to breed, but pipes, dams and other barriers can obstruct their migration to inland feeding grounds.
- Guernsey seeks eel sightings to aid conservation.
- European eel populations have fallen 95% since the 1980s.
- Habitat loss and migration barriers threaten the species.
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European eels are long, snake-like fish that spend much of their lives in rivers, ponds and wetlands across Europe. They begin life in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic, travel towards European coasts as young eels, and eventually return to the sea to breed.
The species is classed as critically endangered because its numbers have declined sharply in recent decades. Changes to freshwater habitats, water pollution and barriers such as dams, culverts and pipes can make it harder for eels to reach feeding areas or complete their journey back to sea.
In Guernsey, conservation groups are trying to build a clearer picture of where eels are still found. This can help identify waterways that may need protection or changes to allow fish to move more freely.