Meeting Abstract
American eel (Anguilla rostrata) populations have been threatened due to a number of factors including dams which can block the upstream migration. However, like many elongate fishes, American eels can move between bodies of water by either climbing a dam wall or leaving the body of water to circumnavigate the dam. In this research, we tested American eels moving across three different substrates: hard-packed sand, small loose pebbles, and small fixed pebbles where the pebbles were glued to each other and the container. We found significant interactions between substrate and location along the body. On hard-packed sand, American eels had the lowest distance ratios and velocities, especially along the middle of the body. Both the distance ratios and velocities were similar across substrates at the head and tail of the animal. Wave amplitude and frequency were found to differ across the body, but not between substrates. This study will provide additional understanding to how best to open up migratory pathways for American eels through the development of eel passageways.
