So far, no eels have been discovered within Everglades National Park. But they have been apprehended in nearby canals. In the spring, biologists will try to kill as many as possible in the canal closest to the park. Electrocution will be the weapon of choice. Scientists are pessimistic that slaying even hundreds of eels a week will do much good.
Experts can only guess how the eels got here.
Florida is headquarters for the nation's tropical fish trade. In 1997 Nico found the first swamp eels in a ditch near a Manatee County tropical fish farm. Then others were found in South Florida. For years, it has been illegal to release non-indigenous fish into Florida waters, but some people ignore the law or don't know about it. Nico says it is also possible that swamp eels were released on purpose by folks who like to eat eels.