The American Eel’s ‘Endangered’ Designation Isn’t Backed up by the Science (Opinion)
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Bangor Daily News] By Julie Keene and Tim Larochelle - January 27, 2015 -
(Julie Keene is an eel harvester from North Trescott and secretary of the Maine Elver Fishermen Association. Tim Larochelle of Woolwich is an eel harvester, commercial fishing boat captain and member of the American Eel Sustainability Association.)
Over the past decade, eel fishermen in Maine and all along the Atlantic coast have been part of a responsibly managed fishery, adhering to stringent regulations developed across state, provincial and international lines. Even as demand for eels has spiked in the last few years, the fishery has set a course of proactive management, with sustainable catch limits helping to secure the future of the stock.
Despite these notable management efforts, in late 2014, the environmental group International Union for the Conservation of Nature placed American eel on its “Red List” of endangered species.
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