The information does not currently report fishing effort, which includes such data as the number and types of fishing gear used. Effort data, combined with harvest numbers, gives a truer account of the population status. For instance, the same amount of eels may be harvested each year but the effort to catch those eels may increase. This could indicate a decline in the overall eel population. Fishery managers are considering ways to retrieve effort data.
Some countries raise eels to meet the demand for meat.
Eel meat can be fried, jellied, stewed or smoked. Foreign interests trying to get elvers for eel culture could impact Chesapeake Bay eel stock. Other factors can affect the eel population. Because of their bottom-feeding behavior, contaminants in bottom sediments and low, dissolved oxygen levels can negatively impact eels. Probably the biggest threat eels face is the blockage of important habitats by dams and other obstructions.