Current Species of the Week
This Species of Week was inspired by a recent trip on the Head of Long Pond when an American Eel turned up in a fish trap set by LLNF field staff and delighted the team!
American Eels are common around Nantucket- look for them in the harbors, open ocean, and freshwater habitats like ponds and marshes.
American Eels are elongated fish with small fins, covered in a slick layer of mucous. They use their whole body to swim in undulating motions. Males grow up to 1.5 feet, while females grow much larger- up to 4 feet in length! On average, they weigh about 10 pounds.
The American Eel has a fascinating and unique life history.
They are catadromous, meaning they primarily live in fresh or brackish water but migrate to the ocean (specifically the Sargasso Sea) to spawn.
An American Eel turned up in a fish trap set in the Head of Long Pond. It was the first time LLNF has documented an eel of this size in the pond!
Juvenile glass eel
Ocean currents carry juvenile eels (called glass eels, due to their lack of pigment) until they reach the eastern coasts of North and South America. American Eels migrate up rivers to reach freshwater habitats inland. Eels can be found in Lake Champlain and Lake Ontario-an impressive journey from the coastline!
Some eels don’t travel as far and remain in marine and brackish waters of coastal rivers and estuaries, where they live until they reach maturity.
Mature eels return to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and die.
Each winter, millions of American Eels gather to spawn in the Sargasso Sea.
The American Eel is prey for larger fish and birds like gulls, eagles, and ospreys. Eels feed at night on worms, small fish, clams and other mollusks, and crustaceans such as soft-shelled crabs. During the day, eels usually hide under rocks or bury themselves in bottom sediments.