Posted on 04/25/2009 8:09:18 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Tracking device reveals for the first time how eels migrate 4,500 miles from European waters to the mid-Atlantic
Every November, when the Moon is at its darkest, theres a stirring on riverbeds, lake bottoms and marshlands around Europe. Countless silver serpents respond to an ancient urge and turn towards faster-moving water, beginning a perilous, 4,500-mile journey down deep ocean trenches and across undersea mountain ranges.
Anguilla anguilla elvers resting
Until now nothing has been known about their incredible journey, only that the smallest larvae of the European eel are found in the mid-Atlantic Sargasso Sea. How the spawning adults get there and how long it takes them is one of the animal kingdoms most enduring mysteries: bar a single specimen recovered from the belly of a sperm whale, not a single silver eel has ever been recovered from the open ocean.
With the help of a tiny floating tag, the first details of their epic journey are being revealed. The device was implanted into the belly of an 87cm (34in) female European eel near Hoganasa on the west coast of Sweden last November and was discovered on a Scottish beach two weeks ago.
We were astonished, said Dr David Righton of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, the leader of the project he has named the Eeliad on account of its epic proportions. (His previous project, involving cod, was called the Codyssey.) The oceans are vast and there was a high risk that none would be found but weve had two turn up already. The first came back very soon after release, on the west coast of Ireland. That eel died and the tag came out. But the second tag has revealed some spectacular information.
The mystery of where eels Anguilla anguilla
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Always been fascinated by eels. Salmon in reverse. Thanks for posting.
Wet Dream - Kip Addotta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l1GvDWtccI
yitbos
yitbos
I grew up in Jersey and had a summer house at Tom's River on Barnegat Bay. Eels would migrate from Barnegate to the Sargasso Sea. They spawned in the bay, swam to the Sargasso to grow and mature and then returned to the Bay to lay their eggs. Eel fishing was fun and when caught you would fry them. Grams would put them in our spaghetti sauce instead of Italian sausage. The tasted like chichen!
The Doldrums gernerally refer to those tropical regions near the equator located between the bands of the trade winds. They were highly unpopular with sailors in the old sailing ship days because winds were often light, variable or non-existent. A ship could be becalmed until it drank up all its fresh water and everybody died. Happened regularly.
The Sargasso Sea is located in the Doldrums of the Atlantic, with the added challenge for sailors of being located in sort of an eddy of ocean currents.
Are the Doldrums in the Sargasso Sea?Doldrums: Barbie's Bongos. [Sniglets]
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IIRC, they blamed it on global warming and Consul Bushus.
Very interesting. Thanks.
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