Anguilla anguilla 

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
Animalia	Chordata	Actinopterygii	Anguilliformes	Anguillidae

Scientific Name:	Anguilla anguilla
Species Authority:	(Linnaeus, 1758)
Regional Assessments:	Global Europe
Common Name(s): English – European Eel
Synonym(s):	Muraena anguilla Linnaeus, 1758
Taxonomic Source(s):	Eschmeyer, W.N. (ed.). 2014. Catalog of Fishes. Updated 10 March 2014. Available at: http:// research.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalogfishcatmain.asp.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Endangered A4bd (Regional assessment) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Date Assessed:	2007-10-16
Assessor(s):	Azeroual, A.
Reviewer(s):	Kraïem, M., Yahyoui, A. & Smith, K. (IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Unit)
Justification: The recruitment of glass eels has declined by an estimated 50% in the past 10 years across northern Africa, and annual catches have declined by between 10 and 25% since 1980. The current fall in fishery catches of eel is clear. In Tunisia, during the 20 last years, the production fell from 3,00000 kg in 1989 to less than 1,00000 in 2005 (Direction Générale de la Pêche et de l’Aquaculture de la Tunisie). In Morocco, the fishing statistics (1950 - 2003) also show a decline in eel captured at all stages of development. The reasons for the decline are multiple: over-exploitation, river management (construction of dams, embankment, pumping and derivation of rivers, extraction of gravel, etc.) that damages habitat, water pollution (agricultural, industrial and domestic) and especially the appearance in the continental waters of Morocco, since 1990, of the hematophagic parasite (Anguillicola crassus). Catch data up until the late 1970s actually shows an increase but this is probably a reflection of catch effort and improving technology rather than an increase in eel populations. The generation length of the eel is around 15 years in northern Africa, although data is not available for recruitment, stock or population since the 1960s. Based on the estimated 50% decline in recruitment in the past 10 years and the massive decline in catches since 1980, it is suspected that the population will decline by more than 50% (but less than 80%) between 1980 and 2025 if no immediate effective conservation measures are taken. It is believed that the primary threat to the declining recruitment in northern Africa is glass eel overfishing in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean sea, pollution of river mouths, dams, the catch of the returning silver eels along the northern Africa coast and climate change which may be impacting the currents in the Atlantic. Due to the fact that the species is a non-breeding visitor and the conditions are deteriorating outside the region (recruitment is declining), there is no change in the Endangered assessment.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	In northern Africa, Anguilla anguilla is present in Morocco (especially Oum Er-Biâ, Sebou, Loukkos and Moulouya Rivers, Merja Zerga lagoon), Algeria, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Tunisia and Egypt (along the River Nile especially the Delta region and coastal lagoons). At global level, it is present at the Atlantic coasts of Europe; northwards to British coasts, Ireland and Norway, and also entering in the Mediterranean and Black seas and Sea of Azov; southwards to Canaries Islands and African coast at about 25°N.
Countries occurrence:	Native: Algeria; Egypt; Libya; Morocco; Palau; Tunisia
Additional data:	♦ Upper elevation limit (metres): 1000 ♦ Upper depth limit (metres): 700
Range Map:

Population [top]

Population:	Total northern African catches have declined by an estimated 10% to 25% per year since 1980, but recruitment has declined by an estimated 50% in the past 10 years (Kraïem, M. pers. comm.). The decline in northern Africa is probably less than in Europe. Anguilla anguilla has an estimated generation length of 15 years. Figures for a decline over the past 45 years (3 generations) are not available. Catches have decreased severely from just before 1980. Even though recorded catches increased between the 1960s and 1970s, this is a reflection on increased effort and technology and not on real population increase. For example, Egypt catches for eel in 1996 were 193 tonnes and in 2004 this had declined to about 80 tonnes (Kraïem, M. pers. comm.)
Current Population Trend:	Decreasing
Additional data:	♦ Population severely fragmented: No

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Females of this catadromous species deposit eggs in Sargasso Sea. The larvae migrate into rivers Sebou, Loukkos, Mpilpita and Nile, and mature silver eels begin downstream spawning migration usually from late springs to winter and mainly in dark, moonless stormy nights. At this stage eyes become enlarged, and the snout becomes narrower and more pointed. It feeds on crustaceans (decapods, amphipods), insect larvae and fish. It ceases feeding on spawning migration. In relation to its size, it reaches to over 58 cm (females) and 38 cm (males); silver or yellowish white a white belly.
Systems:	Freshwater; Marine
Movement patterns:	Full Migrant

Use and Trade [top]

Use and Trade:

This species is harvested for human consumption.

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

Over-exploitation of glass eels and pollution of estuaries have contributed to the decline, Hydraulic managements (construction of dams, embankment, pumping and derivation of rivers, extraction of gravel), Groundwater extraction, Drought, Pollution (domestic), apparition in the continental waters of Morocco, since 1990, of the hematophagy parasite, Anguillicola crassus: The infestation rates varied from 12.79% to 83% and showed seasonal variations (Chetto et al. 2001; El-Hilali et al. 2004-2005). The main threats to this species are dams, water management (canalisation), pollution, water abstraction and drought. Overfishing of glass eels started in the 1960s and 1970s, but the impacts of the threats weren't reflected in recruitment until the 1980s. Overfishing occurs on glass eels in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean (Spanish) and also in the south of France. Overfishing also occurs on silver eels in deltas, estuaries and lagoons within northern Africa (live eels are often exported to Japan and Europe).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

Glass eel fishing is banned in most northern Africa. In Morocco, glass eel fishing is not banned but, the fishing of glass eels is permitted only to institutions that have made infrastructure rearing. However the price is very high and this stage is still fished (Spain, Morocco and south France).

Classifications [top]

Bibliography [top]

Pan-Africa freshwater assessment references.. Currently, full citations for references used in the Pan-Africa biodiversity assessments are unavailable on the Red List web site. These will be added to the site in 2011. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes.. IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.3). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 2 September 2010).