Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Eels

I caught a 24" eel in my pond tonight while fishing for channel cats. I believe it is an american eel. Anyone have any experience with this? From what I have read, they actually spawn near Bermuda, and work their way up coastal waters into fresh water. Are there any 'eels' in the South that I should be concerned about causing problems in my pond? If so, I will have to identify it with more certainty.
Sarc

Sarchasm:
I have caught ells all my life,on and off in rivers,but not in any pond. I don't know if they are any threat or not. sorry ( I live in south Louisiana)

I tell you, I would like to know more about Eels in pond management.....It would be REAL interesting!!!!

Eels used to make runs up the rivers around here on the east coast before all the rivers got dammed (multiple times). They would make their way up to the tiny streams to spawn.

Ric,
From what I have read, I thought that eels spawned in salt water only. I posted this thread because I wasn't sure of the impact of eels in a pond environment. If they are able to successfully reproduce in a pond, I feel they could represent a significant impact on forage species and negatively impact pond production. Since I have not read anything (here or elsewhere) on their impact on pond life, I assumed they do not impose a threat. If anyone has any knowledge one way or another, I would appreciate their input.
Sarc

Since those who really know have not yet responded and because your question got my interest up, I am giving a non-expert's answer.

Assuming what you caught was the common native American eel, Anguilla rostrata (brown or yellow eel), and assuming that these are not present in large numbers in your pond, the impact should be minimal. Any you find would be unfertilized females and, as you note, they do not reproduce in fresh water. They can grow to large size over a number of years on a carnivorous diet of live crustaceans, small fish, etc., but their growth is not rapid. The only potential problem I could see would be if an angler inexperienced in toothed fishes were to be bitten by one while removing a hook.

On the other hand, exotic species which can reproduce in fresh water have been introduced to American waters from time to time and have the potential to do great damage. You will remember the northern snakehead scare in Maryland a year or two ago. Also, so-called "rice eels," which are air breathing fish which look like eels but are not and which can migrate long distances over land, have been introduced into North Georgia. Unlike the American eel, they have no pectoral fins. They would be almost impossible to eradicate once established.

If you still have the fish and are not absolutely positive it is a native eel, you would do well to have it identified by an expert.
Lou

Lou, why do you say they would be unfertilized females?

Sarc,
You're right. I just figured because they would migrate upstream into small creeks they were spawning.

Here's a site with some info: http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/sportfishing/species/eel.htm

This looks like a good one for lusk to do a Article on for the magazine!!
Man it looks like there is no information on Eels in pond culture...

Lou, why do you say they would be unfertilized females?

They would be unfertilized because the eggs are laid at sea and then fertilized. It is possible, I suppose, that a two-foot eel could be male, but I understand that this would be about the maximum for male American eels, while females grow much larger. In addition, neither male nor female eels get all that large in the South.

I could easily be wrong for, as noted before, I am no expert. But, last night I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express.
Lou

Thanks, Lou, I have never even seen an eel out of the zoo and know absolutely nothing about them.