Biology and Ecology of the European Eel as Revealed by an Original Sampling Technique Performed in a Deep and Large Riverine Ecosystem

Billy Nzau Matondo (), Michaël Ovidio, Marc Lerquet, Dylan Colson and Damien Sonny
Additional contact information
Billy Nzau Matondo: Laboratory of Fish Demography and Hydroecology, Management of Aquatic Resources and Aquaculture Unit, Freshwater and Oceanic Science Unit of Research-FOCUS, University of Liège, 22 Quai E. Van Beneden, B-4020 Liège, Belgium
Michaël Ovidio: Laboratory of Fish Demography and Hydroecology, Management of Aquatic Resources and Aquaculture Unit, Freshwater and Oceanic Science Unit of Research-FOCUS, University of Liège, 22 Quai E. Van Beneden, B-4020 Liège, Belgium
Marc Lerquet: Profish Technology SA, 114 Chemin des Pêcheurs, B-5100 Namur, Belgium
Dylan Colson: Profish Technology SA, 114 Chemin des Pêcheurs, B-5100 Namur, Belgium
Damien Sonny: Profish Technology SA, 114 Chemin des Pêcheurs, B-5100 Namur, Belgium

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: Few studies have documented the biology, demography, and ecology of eels in deep and large riverine ecosystems, which nevertheless contain important growing areas for this endangered species. Using an original eel sampling technique, this 6-year study, started in 2018, aims to characterise the bioecology and demography parameters of eels in a deep and wide riverine ecosystem, the Meuse in Belgium. It was performed over a 125.8 km stretch and included four sampling sites. This technique, never previously used in the Meuse, trapped the eels in fyke nets when they swam back upstream, swimming against the current, after an avoidance reaction generated by the screens of hydropower facilities. Results revealed a high performance in catching eels as well as their sympatric biodiversity. The inter-site growth of eels was good. Yellow eels were mostly caught in the spring and summer under the influence of rising water temperatures, and silver eels were caught during autumn in October–December when flow and turbidity were high. A down-to-upstream decreasing demographic gradient was observed, but this pattern was not found for entry rate, catchability, survival, and immigration and emigration nets. Survival was low, and net emigration was high at a site experiencing noise pollution and hydraulic disturbance due to the work of expanding the ship lock to facilitate the passage of large boats. Effective strategies for the local eel stock and habitat management have been provided for deep and large riverine ecosystems.

Keywords: eel; fyke net; biology; ecology; demography; conservation measure; deep and large freshwaters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10607/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10607/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:23:p:10607-:d:1535989

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().