The yellow European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) may adopt a sedentary lifestyle in inland freshwaters

Pascal Laffaille (1, 2) , Anthony Acou (2) , Jérôme Guillouët (1)

1 Fish Pass
2 Biodiversité fonctionnelle et gestion des territoires

We analysed the movements of the growing yellow phase using a long-term mark-recapture programme on European eels in a small catchment (the Frémur, France). The results showed that of the yellow eels (>200 mm) recaptured, more than 90% were recaptured at the original marking site over a long period before the silvering metamorphosis and downstream migration. We conclude that yellow European eels >200 mm may adopt a sedentary lifestyle in freshwater area, especially in small catchment.

Mots clés: Anguilla anguilla; Yellow eel Freshwater habitat; Behaviour; Mark-recapture

Domaines: Biodiversité; Ecosystèmes

Pascal Laffaille, Anthony Acou, Jérôme Guillouët. The yellow European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) may adopt a sedentary lifestyle in inland freshwaters. Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 2005, Vol. 14, pp. 191-196. ⟨10.1111/j.1600-0633.2005.00092.x⟩. ⟨hal-00793406⟩