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Ferengi_Earwax t1_isfjo0r wrote

Reply to comment by eniteris in Almost 100 years since being initially proposed, the location of adult European eels' breeding place (upon their 5-10,000 km migration across the Atlantic Ocean) has been demonstrated directly as the Sargasso Sea for the first time. by Litvi

Are these the same eels you find in British River systems and wetlands? Or are those freshwater eels and these guys just live in the tidal saltwater marshes?

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eniteris t1_isflmvd wrote

There's another species of eel in Britain, but yes, jellied eels are mostly made from silver eels, and they're critically endangered.

The European Eel/glass eel/yellow eel/silver eel migrates between fresh and saltwater.

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Ferengi_Earwax t1_isfm66j wrote

Thanks. That's unfortunate they are endangered. I remember time team had some eel fisherman go about and demonstrate how they use to catch them. I think I remember them saying how people of the fens had a specific culture and that after most of the fens were drained, their culture and eel fishing mostly died out. There is also the story of king charles and the feather. Supposedly people of the fens had a tradition where if you presented a fen man a goose feather( I think) they would guide you, feed you, and ferry you to safety without questions.

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Ferengi_Earwax t1_isfm6xc wrote

Thanks. That's unfortunate they are endangered. I remember time team had some eel fisherman go about and demonstrate how they use to catch them. I think I remember them saying how people of the fens had a specific culture and that after most of the fens were drained, their culture and eel fishing mostly died out. There is also the story of king charles and the feather. Supposedly people of the fens had a tradition where if you presented a fen man a split goose feather( I think) they would guide you, feed you, and ferry you to safety without questions. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Split-Goosefeather/

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stayshiny t1_isfl7ys wrote

Yes, you will find European Eels in British rivers, they migrate from there to the Sargasso Sea, though not all Eels found in those rivers will be the same species that does this.

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Ferengi_Earwax t1_isfleaz wrote

Thanks, very interesting. I remember hearing about the strange beliefs people had about eels in manuscripts from the middle ages. They ate alot of eels.

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stayshiny t1_isfmvh6 wrote

There's a lot of great history in literature and Eels - they inspired a lot of monster stories and still do now!

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Ferengi_Earwax t1_isfn1a3 wrote

They sure do and you can still see why! Lampreys look terrifying.

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