Efforts to increase the eel population in rivers in Kagoshima Prefecture
Faculty of Fisheries ANRAKU Kazuhiko,KOTANI Tomonari
anraku@fish.kagoshima-u.ac.jp、kotani@fish.kagoshima-u.ac.jpBackground and objectives of activities
The Japanese eel is an important farmed fish, but the amount of glass eels caught along the Japanese coast, which are used as seed for aquaculture, is decreasing, and the continuity of eel farming is in danger. As a countermeasure, we aimed to create an environment that would increase the amount of eel resources in natural waters.
Summary of Activities
The activities include: 1) supporting the installation, maintenance and monitoring of stone warehouses by inland fisheries cooperatives to improve the habitat of eels; 2) investigating the behavior of farmed eels released into rivers and estuaries; and 3) conducting outreach activities and holding classes to raise awareness of various activities to protect and improve the habitat of eels.
Expected Benefits
Environmental improvement is urgently needed to maintain and increase the eel population, and the installation of stone cribs is very effective for this purpose. Through the analysis of the behavior of released fish, it is possible to clarify the environment necessary for eels to inhabit, and this can also lead to appeals for environmental protection to related organizations in the area.