Long thin body which is covered in slime. Back and flanks are grey to dark green with lower half and belly pale/white. Dorsal fin starts one third along the body and joins the anal fin. Lower jaw protrudes noticeably further than the upper jaw.
Distribution
Once abundant around the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe. While it is still found across the British Isles numbers are much reduced and silver eels are now absent from areas where they were once common
Feeds On
Fish, worms and crustaceans are eaten when it lives in the sea during the silver eel stage of life. Smaller fish, frogs, insect larvae and any other dead and rotting creatures when in its freshwater environment.
- Scientific name: Anguilla anguilla
- Also know as: European Eel, Common Eel (and at different stages of their life Glass Eels, Elvers, Yellow Eel and Brown Eel)
- Size: Up to 5ft in length and 20lbs. Shore caught typically 1-3lbs.
- UK minimum size: N/a – all silver eels caught by anglers must be returned to the sea by law (see below).
- UK shore caught record: 11lb 2oz
- IUCN Status: CR (Critically Endangered)
