European Eels have experienced huge declines in the past 20 years and are now classed as Critically Endangered. They have a fascinating life-cycle travelling between freshwater rivers, such as those here in South Cumbria, back out to sea covering huge distances to spawn and then back to our rivers as juveniles (or glass eels). It is thought that eels migrate to the Sargasso sea to spawn, however, we still don’t know where they actually spawn. Research led by the Environment Agency in partnership with a number of other organisations is now hoping to unlock this mystery.

To find out more please read the full press release. 

Here in South Cumbria we have been working with partners, including the Environment Agency, to install eel passes, such as those below, and valves on tide gates to ease the passage of fish as they migrate back to our freshwaters.