Nicosia, Cyprus. Researchers have recorded mature European eels in Cyprus’ inland waters for the first time, a finding they describe as significant for conservation efforts in the eastern Mediterranean.
First records of silver eels in Cypriot rivers
The study, led by Bournemouth University with the University of the Highlands and Islands, the Cyprus University of Technology (Tepak) and the Environment Agency, identified European eels (Anguilla anguilla) at the silvering stage in rivers on the island.
Silver eels, the mature phase during which the species migrates back to the ocean to spawn, have been recorded elsewhere in Europe and as far east as regions of Turkey, but not previously in Cyprus.
Researchers outline lifecycle and survey focus
Lead researcher Sotiris Meletiou said the discovery confirmed the species has survived in Cypriot rivers and grown to maturity there.
He said that after spawning in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic, European eels arrive in continental waters as glass eels, develop for many years in freshwater habitats, and later transform into silver eels that migrate back to the ocean to reproduce.
Meletiou said limited information on silver eels in the eastern Mediterranean led the team to target habitats and periods when silvering and migration were most likely, and that the surveys confirmed mature silver eels were present and migrating at the easternmost edge of the species’ range.
Population decline and conservation status
The European eel has seen a sharp population decline over the past century due to pollution, habitat loss, extreme weather events, parasites and overexploitation.
The species has been classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List since 2008, with numbers estimated at around 10 per cent of historic levels.
Findings from the Polis river
One site where mature eels were found was the Polis river in the northwestern Paphos district, where researchers captured eels at several points along the river, indicating juveniles are travelling upstream to develop.
The team also observed that river fragmentation, including dried-up stretches, was hindering upstream movement and delaying downstream migration for some individuals.
What measures, if any, do you think should be prioritised to reduce river fragmentation affecting eel migration in Cyprus?
