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With American eel populations dwindling in Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources in Pembroke needs our help to determine the health of this mysterious fish in the Ottawa River.
The eel is a unique species belonging to a single breeding population that takes them from the Caribbean to the inland waters of North America and back. They are catadromous by nature and opposite to salmon, living most of their adult lives in fresh water and returning to the ocean to spawn. They have been found in the upper reaches of river systems such as the Madawaska, and the main channel of the Ottawa, but dam construction has limited their migration.
Eels still make it to Lac des Chats between the dam at Arnprior and Portage du Fort. MNR staff want to learn more about the size and health of eels in this section of the Ottawa to determine if there is critical habitat that requires protection.
Anglers who catch eels in the Lac des Chats section of the Ottawa River, or upstream, either in the main channel of the Ottawa or in any of its tributaries, such as the Madawaska or Bonnechere rivers, are asked to record as much information as possible before releasing them, such as weight, length, girth, location (GPS if you have it, or approximate using landmarks), depth of water, bottom type, bait or lure type and time of day.
Since there is no season for American eels in the Ottawa River, any caught eels must be released. If you catch an eel, contact Kirby Punt at kirby.punt@ontario.ca or 613-732-5565.
Ottawa Sun