Fecundity of migrating European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from Polish waters

Abstract

This study demonstrated that individual fecundity of 34 migrating European female eels Anguilla anguilla increases linearly with body weight (BW) and total length (TL). The total individual fecundity of fish from 560 to 1960 g BW was between 981 x 103 and 6320 x 103 eggs, respectively. The mean relative individual fecundity equalled 2415 x 103 (± 524 x 103) per kg BW. The values of this parameter ranged from 1753 x 103 to 3224.5 x 103 kg–1. Based on the results, it might be suggested that A. anguilla has lower total individual fecundity than New Zealand longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii), American eel (Anguilla rostrata) and Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) although it has one of the highest fecundity values per kg BW. Total fecundity was strongly depended from fat level in muscle (R2 = 0.9523) and ovary (R2 = 0.9531) as well as level of DHA content in ovary (R2 = 0.8967) and muscle (R2 = 0.6274) (N=10). There were no important relationship between total fecundity and protein level as well as in muscle and ovary

Keywords

• Fecundity
• Anguilla anguilla
• European eel
• Reproductive capability