Eel Research in 1968

Abstract

Fyke nets for the capture of eels have been in use in some parts of the country since 1961. These are “summer” type nets, laid on the bottom in lakes and river estuaries and having, when set, a maximum height of about 60 cm (2 ft.). Experiments with these nets were made in a number of lakes from July to September. Five students were employed to operate the nets and examine the eels. Each student was supplied with a set of eight nets (sixteen traps with eight leaders arranged in a line) and the nets were fished daily except at weekends or in rough weather. The traps were 1.84 m (6 ft.) long with an opening diameter of 43 cm (16 ins.), the leaders were 4.7 m (18 ft.) long and the mesh size at the cod end was 1 cm (0.4 ins). The areas chosen were Lough Corrib (mainly in the vicinity of the Docros peninsula), Loughs Inchiquin and George, near Corofin, Co. Clare, Loughs Ecnish and Tullyguide, near Killeshandra and Town Lake, Dromore Lake and Dromloona Lake, near Cootehill, Co. Cavan, the latter three by kind permission of Brigadier Dorman O'Gowan. In all cases the lengths of the eels were measured and the stomachs and otoliths of as many as possible were collected. The Lough Corrib eels were also weighed, their weights were used subsequently to calculate the weights of the eels from the other lakes. Examination of the stomach contents and otoliths of the eels has not yet been completed. The indications are that the majority of the eels feed on invertebrates while a small proportion feed on fish. Loughs Corrib and George in the areas fished offer poor feeding while Inchiquin and the County Cavan lakes are rich.