The Thames Anglers’ Conservancy in partnership with the Zoological Society for London (ZSL) monitors the eel trap at Molesey weir. Volunteers from the TAC have been trained in how to record any eels that are caught in the trap during the migratory season.
We are now into our 4th year, and look forward to seeing how the 2015 results compare to our previous years – 2014 – 313, 2013 – 2473 – 2012 – 133
The trap getting a spring clean
Research over the last 30 years has shown that the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is facing a range of threats that are severely impacting on their recruitment – and potentially their populations in freshwater – leading to its 2008 Critically Endangered classification in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. The number of young eels joining the resident adult population across European catchments is believed to have declined by up to 95% since the early 1980s.
In 2005, in response to this alarming decline, the Zoological society of London set up its Eel Monitoring Programme.
Environment Agency Eel regulatory position – July 2012
Environment Agency – Delivering our Duty for Eel Jan 2014
ZSL Eel report for 2014
This page will give regular updates of the Eels caught during 2015, and if you are interested in joining this important conservation project, please contact the TAC at admin@rivertac.org
An Elver being measured then released in 2014
| 2015 Results – elver size(mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 50 | 55 | 60 | 65 | 70 | 75 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 100 | 105 | 110 | 115 | 120 | 125 | 130 | 135 | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | Total |
| 26 Apr 2015 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 Apr 2015 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 May 2015 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 May 2015 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 May 2015 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 16 May 2015 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 May 2015 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 May 2015 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 May 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 30 May 2015 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Jun 2015 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Jun 2015 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 21 | |||||||||||||
| 13 Jun 2015 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 49 | ||||||||||||
| 16 Jun 2015 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 30 | ||||||||||||
| 20 Jun 2015 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 27 Jun 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 14 | |||||||||||||
| 4 Jul 2015 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 25 | |||||||||||||
| 8 Jul 2015 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 57 | |||||||||
| 11 Jul 2015 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||
| 15 Jul 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||
| 19 Jul 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | |||||||||||||||
| 23 Jul 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||||||
| 29 Jul 2015 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Aug 2015 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Aug 2015 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 Aug 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 15 Aug 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 22 Aug 2015 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 29 Aug 2015 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Sep 2015 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 Sep 2015 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 Sep 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 27 Sep 2015 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 23 | 32 | 50 | 58 | 35 | 24 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 291 |
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