SAVING THE DEE EELS – PHASE 2

THE EUROPEAN EEL IS LISTED CRITICALLY ENDANGERED UNDER THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES. IN 2011, A FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN INTO THE TRAPPING AND TRANSPORTATION METHODS THAT COULD BE DEPLOYED TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFER EUROPEAN EELS CAUGHT BELOW TONGLAND DAM FISH PASS INTO BURNS UPSTREAM OF TONGLAND DAM. THIS STUDY WAS PROMPTED ON DISCOVERY OF HUNDREDS OF EELS STRANDED BELOW TONGLAND DAM FISH PASS WHERE THEY ARE CLEARLY INHIBITED FROM ASCENDING THE TURBULENT, HIGH VELOCITY WATER. UP TO 5,000 EELS CAN BE TRAPPED ANNUALLY AND TRANSFERRED TO SUITABLE AREAS. GFT WISH TO EXPAND THE TRAPPING PROGRAMME WITH THE ADDITION OF TWO NEW TRAPPING LOCATIONS AT THE BOTTOM OF TONGLAND DAM FISH PASS AND RUN AN EDUCATION PROJECT IN LOCAL SCHOOLS.