American eel

American eels, known as kataq in the Mi’kmaw language, are a fascinating species of fish.

On this page

• Behaviour
• Population at Kejimkujik

Behaviour

Marine phase

Eel larvae hatch from eggs in the Sargasso Sea, a large oceanic region located far off the east coast of North America. The tiny larvae drift northward on the Gulf Stream over many months.

Eventually, they enter coastal estuaries — where a river drains into the ocean — across the east coast of the United States and Canada. At this stage in their life cycle, American eels are completely transparent, lending them the name “glass eels.”

Freshwater phase

As they migrate upstream, the eels grow and become “elvers," an intermediate stage in the fish’s life cycle.

Elvers migrate long distances inland to freshwater lakes and streams, where they grow into what are known as “yellow eels.”

American eels can spend up to 30 years living as yellow eels in these freshwater habitats, like those found in Kejimkujik. In these habitats, American eels serve as effective predators of smaller fish and invertebrates.

Return to the ocean

Eventually, American eels transition to their final life stage, “silver eels.” These silver eels return downstream to the Atlantic, gradually making their way back to the Sargasso Sea to spawn — starting this remarkable life cycle over again.

Population at Kejimkujik

Historically, eels were abundant in Kejimkujik and provided an important food resource for Mi’kmaw communities. Places like Eel Weir served as key eel-fishing sites for thousands of years.

Today, American eels are still present in Kejimkujik, but in relatively low densities due to downstream dams on the Mersey River.