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American Eel Raise & Release |
American Eel Raise
& Release Project
Arlington Echo is excited to begin a new
project in cooperation with Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the
American Eel Raise & Release Project! Teachers will be raising American Eels
from the "glass eel" stage to "elver" stage during the spring of
2008!
Teachers &
Students will be:
- Attending an
American Eel in-service in December or January
- Setting up an
eel tank in the classroom
- Making Brine
Shrimp and feeding elvers daily
- Learning tank
maintenance
- Research
projects with elvers and the mysteries of the Sargasso Sea
- Observe and
study stages of eel development
- Educate other
classes about eels
- Release yellow
eels into a fresh water stream in May or June
Why American Eels?Known for their
slimy, snake-like appearance, many American Eels call the Chesapeake Bay and its
many tributaries home. Floating from the Sargasso Sea, small "glass eels" swim
towards the North American coast to find fresh water streams where they grow and
thrive. It is here where the American Eel is finding its greatest challenge.
Habitat loss, overfishing, dams blocking fresh water streams, and water
pollution are all contributing to their challenging migration. Historically in
the Chesapeake Bay, the American eel was harvested by eelers and sold to both
the European and Asian market or used as crab bait. Today, the American Eel
population is believed to be decliing in some areas on the east coast, but is
not warranted to be on the threatened or endangered species list.
American eels are an important
component of the Bay, both ecologically and economically. Eels are a significant
source of food for fish, mammals, turtles, and birds. Most eels caught in the
Chesapeake Bay are exported to support the large demand as a favorite food for
people in Europe and Asia. However, American Eels still have many mysteries that
we have still not uncovered.
Project Time line
Month
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Task
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August
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Chesapeake Connections
Workshop
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November
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Schedule in-service date & materials
list
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December &
January
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Attend
In-service
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February
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Set up tank & Classroom
presentations
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March
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Receive glass
eels
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March- May/June
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Raise elvers
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May/June
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Release
elvers
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American EelAnguilla rostrata
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The American eel has pectoral fins and a very long, continuous fin which is the dorsal fin, anal fin, and tail fin combined. Adults usually white or light-colored below and brownish to blue-black above, but coloration is variable.
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Size: Eels range in
size from 2 inches to over 3 feet long. The females are much larger than the
males.
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Distribution:
Greenland south along the Atlantic coast of Canada and the USA to Panama, and
throughout much of the West Indies south to Trinidad.
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Habitat: Eels prefer muddy bottoms and calm waters. They are nocturnal which means they are active at night. During the day eels hide under rocks on the bottom.
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Food Preference: They eat a variety of fish, insects, snail, clams, and worms.
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