As a food resource in both Eastern and Western countries, the eel is an important fish. Over the years, remarkable progress has been achieved in understanding the mysterious life cycle of eels that has fascinated scientists since the age of Aristotle. The spawning area of the Japanese eel was discovered and the migratory route of its larvae was elucidated. With the development of techniques for artificial induction of gonadal maturation, it became possible to obtain hatched larvae. Larval rearing to the leptocephalus stage, one of the most difficult tasks involved in eel culture, finally was achieved. By presenting these important breakthroughs, Eel Biology will be of great help in the development of effective management strategies for maintaining stable eel populations. With contributions by leading experts, this book is a valuable source for researchers as well as industry technicians in the fields of aquatic biology, aquaculture, and fisheries.

A strong demand for an English version of the third German Editionof this extremely important book paved the way for this excellentnew translation, which contains much new information from over 500publications, not covered by the previous English languageedition. The Eel is the standard work on the species with chaptersin the book covering body structure and functions, developmentalstages and distribution of the eel species, post-larval ecology andbehaviour, harvest and environmental relationships, fishingmethods, eel culture, diseases, parasites and bodily damage, theworld trade in eels and eel processing. Contributions are includedfrom several world authorities including new information concerninggenetic diversity in eel populations and the consequences for theirmanagement. Written by Friedrich-Wilhelm Tesch, one of the foremost worldauthorities on eels and carefully edited by Professor Thorpe, wellknown for his work in fish biology, writing and editing, TheEel is an essential purchase for all those working with thespecies, including fish biologists, physiologists and ecologists,aquatic and environmental scientists, fisheries managers and fishfarm personnel. Copies of this landmark publication should beavailable in the libraries of all research establishments anduniversities where these subjects are studied or taught. The Fisheries Society of the British Isles provided generousfinancial support enabling the translation and publication of thisbook. Written by F-W Tesch; Translated from the German Editionby R. J. White; Edited by J. E. Thorpe

This synopsis compiles and reviews the scattered information on the identify, distribution, life history, populatons, exploitation, management and culture of the eel, Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758), a species that has been harvested in Europe for many centuries.

This handbook provides guidance on methods for use in fish ageing studies. Fish age, among other biological parameters, is one of the most relevant pieces of data to attain sustainable exploitation levels of fishery resources. Indeed, most analytical methods used in stock assessment require knowledge of demographic structure according to age of stocks, as well as to recruitment, growth, maturity, natural mortality, etc., which are strictly linked to information on age and age structure. The handbook was put together to deal with identified gaps – which affect both the precision and the accuracy of estimations – regarding ageing schemes, criteria and methodologies used in preparing calcified structures. It focuses on the general principles that underpin age analysis (assignment of birth date, preparation methods, aging scheme reading and identification of true and false rings). Crucially, it aims to contribute to the establishment of common analysis methods, which can enable better calibration across the diverse institutes involved, thereby improving the quality and reliability of results.