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Relationship between locomotor activity, environmental factors, and timing of the spawning migration in the European eel, Anguilla anguilla

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2008

Caroline M.F. Durif ,
Francois Travade ,
Jacques Rives ,
Pierre Elie  and
Claude Gosset
Caroline M.F. Durif
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Research-Austevoll, 5392 Storebø / Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway Cemagref, Research unit: Estuarine ecosystems and migratory amphihaline fish species, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas, France
Francois Travade
Affiliation:
EDF, Études et Recherches, 6 quai Watier, 78401 Chatou Cedex, France
Jacques Rives
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Poissons, BP 3, 64310 Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, France
Pierre Elie
Affiliation:
Cemagref, Research unit: Estuarine ecosystems and migratory amphihaline fish species, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas, France
Claude Gosset
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Poissons, BP 3, 64310 Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, France
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Abstract

At the onset of sexual maturation, European eels Anguilla anguilla exhibit high locomotor activity which may correspond to migratory restlessness. We measured activity of captive eels and determined whether it correlated with downstream runs of silver eels as well as changes in environmental factors. Groups of eels at different stages of the silvering process (yellow to silver stage) were tagged and placed in separate tanks supplied with either river or tap water. Activity was measured by means of a flat-board antenna placed vertically in the middle of the tank at the surface of the water. Wild migrating silver eels were caught in the nearby river. Activity of eels in the river water tanks increased 1 to 2 days before downstream migrating eels were caught in the trap, and concurrently with a rise in turbidity and a decrease in conductivity. Activity of eels in the tap water tank showed a different pattern, which did not correspond to downstream runs. A peak in activity corresponded to a drop in tap water pH. It is concluded that eels do show periods of high locomotor activity at the onset of migration and this could be used to predict downstream migration. Movements are triggered by changes in water composition (as opposed to changes in discharge, atmospheric pressure and lunar cycle) measured using turbidity and/or conductivity as proxies. If eels are able to detect such small changes in water conductivity (80 µS cm−1), they may use it to find their way to the estuary.

Keywords

Locomotor activityDownstream migrationEnvironmental factorsPredictionAnguilla anguilla / Atlantic Ocean

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Type
Research Article
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 2008 , pp. 163 - 170
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD, 2008

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