FISHERIES PROFESSOR STUDIES
THE DECLINE OF AMERICAN EELS
BLACKSBURG,
Va., May 19, 2004 - Current
research suggests that erosion
in small freshwater streams
could be a contributing factor
in the decline of American eel
populations over the last two
decades. Andrew Dolloff of Blacksburg,
Va., associate professor of
fisheries and wildlife science
in Virginia Tech's College of
Natural Resources, is working
in collaboration with researchers
from the USDA Forest Service,
the Virginia Department of Game
and Inland Fisheries, and the
George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests to learn more
about the American eel in its
freshwater habitat.
Using
radiotelemetry to track the
daily and seasonal movements
of eels along a stream network,
Dolloff's results show that
the activity of eels is strongly
influenced by seasonal changes.
"These findings have important
implications for how the streams
that provide habitat for American
eels are managed," said Dolloff.
During the winter months, eels
shelter under the streambed
and banks in open spaces among
loose rocks. Excessive amounts
of small particles such as sand
and silt can fill those spaces,
thereby eliminating critical
habitat for eels.
The
American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)
is found over a large geographic
range that extends from Greenland
to South America. Although American
eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea
in the middle of the North Atlantic
Ocean, eels spend most of their
lifespan in streams so it is
considered a freshwater fish.
The
College of Natural Resources
at Virginia Tech consistently
ranks among the top five programs
of its kind in the nation. Faculty
members stress both the technical
and human elements of natural
resources and instill in students
a sense of stewardship and land-use
ethics. Areas of study include
environmental resource management,
fisheries and wildlife sciences,
forestry, geospatial and environmental
analysis, natural resource recreation,
urban forestry, wood science
and forest products, geography,
and international development.
