Empirical observations of the spawning migration of European eels: The long and dangerous road to the Sargasso Sea

作者：David Righton, Håkan Westerberg, Eric Feunteun, Finn Økland, Patrick Gargan, Elsa Amilhat, Julian D. Metcalfe, Javier Lobón‐Cerviá, Niklas Sjöberg, Janek Simon, Anthony Acou, Marisa Vedor, Alan Walker, Thomas Trancart, Uwe Brämick, Kim Aarestrup · 发表于：Science Advances · 年份：2016 · DOI：10.1126/sciadv.1501694 · 被引用次数：215 · 研究领域：Fish Ecology and Management Studies、Marine and fisheries research、Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species

. Using data from larval surveys in the Sargasso Sea, we show that spawning likely begins in December and peaks in February. Synthesizing these results, we show that the timing of autumn escapement and the rate of migration are inconsistent with the century-long held assumption that eels spawn as a single reproductive cohort in the springtime following their escapement. Instead, we suggest that European eels adopt a mixed migratory strategy, with some individuals able to achieve a rapid migration, whereas others arrive only in time for the following spawning season. Our results have consequences for eel management.