Eels are disappearing

[Diddums]

I’m not getting uppity, but anyone born within the sound of the bow bells is a cockney. Unfortunately, Bart’s don’t have a maternity unit any more, and the rest of the area is commercial, so cockneys are a dying breed.

It's a shame. I have a few cockney mates and they're all absolutely epic people.

 

[Tom_ed1987]

I think it's still a bit of a mystery as to how they migrate/breed isn't it?
There are loads in the reservoirs near Heathrow.

 

[turbot1984]

30ft? Absolutely no chance

Ok, 28 ft

 

[LuckyBenski]

I think it's still a bit of a mystery as to how they migrate/breed isn't it?
There are loads in the reservoirs near Heathrow.

Cockneys?

 

[potatolord]

Necroing this thread, having just read this story.

I'm glad it's been banned- that was millions of young eels taken out of the breeding cycle every year.

Export of endangered eels to Russia ends after UK government ban

British eel trader says move will destroy traditional elvering but campaigners welcome decision

www.theguardian.com

 

[aVdub]

Necroing this thread, having just read this story.

I'm glad it's been banned- that was millions of young eels taken out of the breeding cycle every year.

Export of endangered eels to Russia ends after UK government ban

British eel trader says move will destroy traditional elvering but campaigners welcome decision

www.theguardian.com

I'll bookmark this thread and check if this makes a difference in a few years or not, which given DEFRA and water companies being involved I am not expecting it will, but obviously hope I am wrong...

 

[potatolord]

I'll bookmark this thread and check if this makes a ded difference in a few years or not, which given DEFRA and water companies being involved I am not expecting it will, but obviously hope I am wrong...

The life cycle of eels is really weird, so it could be a decade or more before anyone knows. It's definitely a good thing though.

 

[That Jekka Gal]

I saw this article and it just made me sad.

When I was a kid, around 40 years ago, we used to catch literal bucketfuls of elvers in the local stream during the migration. We'd dump them all back in once the novelty wore off. There would be dozens of kids there.

It seems eels will soon be extinct.

It's mental that's happened in my lifetime.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/23/no-evidence-eel-dna-somerset-levels-analysis-

Certainly on Severnside, you’d have been at risk of getting a good kicking from travellers if you were to go looking for eels during elver season.

 

[mid_gen]

Has anyone else noticed how little bug splattter is on their cars now?

Go for a drive in rural France. It's amazing the difference, I believe we have finally stopped giving exemptions for the neonicitinoid pesticides that have been decimating the insect populations, but we are so far behind Europe on it.