Other names
Freshwater eel, "Kat" (in Maliseet), "gat’aw" (in Mi’gmaq)
SIZE:
40 cm for males and up to 1 m for females.
LIFE EXPECTANCY:
15 to 20 years, up to 43 years.
LIFE CYCLE:
American eels are born in the Sargasso Sea, southwest of Bermuda. They migrate through fresh water to the Great Lakes. When they reach maturity, eels return to the salt waters of their birthplace to reproduce.
Before spawning, eels take on a silvery colour. The fry are transparent and then turn yellow. Their colour changes with age. The eel will become male or female depending on environmental conditions, particularly water density. American eels die after spawning.
In salt or brackish water, eels grow faster than in fresh water.
The American eel has an elongated, snake-like body with a very long dorsal fin. Its skin has small, encrusted scales and is covered with a layer of mucus. It has several rows of teeth, and its lower jaw protrudes past the upper. Its colour varies from olive green to brown, with a paler belly.
Near the bottom, between 0 and 464 m depth, in fresh or brackish water.
Its habitat will vary over the course of its life. The American eel lives in fresh water and migrates to salt water to reproduce. It is a catadromous fish.
Eels prefer muddy, algal and rocky bottoms.
Credit: Richard Larocque, photo taken in the Rivière Rimouski at a depth of 5 m.
PREYS:
Seaweeds
Molluscs
Crustaceans
PREDATORS:
Gulls
River otters
Herons
MACHINES:
First Nations of the Gaspé and Lower St. Lawrence regions have been fishing eels for centuries. Fishing was done at dusk or at night using torches. Over time, fishing gear has changed: nigogs (harpoons), traps, fish spears and weirs.
REGULATIONS:
- Fishing season
- Number of permits
- Quotas
- Minimum size of 20 cm
The biomass of the American eel is in decline because of habitat degradation, overfishing and changes in ocean conditions. The construction of dams also complicates eel migration and spawning.
Although the fishing of eels is becoming increasingly obsolete, it was once an essential source of food for Indigenous Peoples and still retains its cultural importance today. In 2023, the skills and practices associated with fixed gear fishing in the St. Lawrence, such as weir fishing, were added to the list of Québec’s intangible cultural heritage practices. This recognition confirms the fundamental place of eel fishing in the province’s history, from the early use of fixed gear by Aboriginal peoples to the present day.
BENEFITS:
Its flesh is rich in nitrogen and potassium and is very fatty. A portion of 100 g of raw flesh contains 16 g of protein, 18 g of fat and 233 calories.
First Nations used eel oil, skin and eggs for medicinal benefits.
LET’S COOK:
Delicate and fatty taste. Soft texture.
Eel is used in a variety of dishes, such as stews and sushi. It can also be eaten smoked, filleted, jellied, or canned.
OUR CULINARY ADVICE:
- It is best to leave the skin on when baking or grilling eels.
- It goes surprisingly well with pork but also with ginger, currants and lemon.
- Given its threatened status, we do not recommend eating American eel.
