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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Social network analysis as a tool to inform anguillid eel conservation and management
AU - Williamson, Michael J
AU - Jacoby, David M P
AU - Bašić, Tea
AU - Walker, Alan
AU - Piper, Adam T
PY - 2024/3/1
Y1 - 2024/3/1
N2 - Eel Management Plans demand European silver eel (Anguilla anguilla) escapement to the sea of at least 40% of that expected historically in the absence of human impacts. Landlocked lentic waterbodies, such as drinking water reservoirs, host substantial numbers of eel, which could represent a significant contribution to catchment-based conservation targets. To optimize netting strategies for eel management policies, information on their aggregation behaviour is currently needed but lacking. We performed a fine-scale acoustic tracking study to monitor the movements of 86 European eel in a UK reservoir. Social network sampling and sensitivity analyses were used to assess whether eel aggregate at scales relevant for current capture techniques. European eel were found to aggregate at spatial and temporal scales of 50 m and 2 days, respectively, which complements current capture methodologies and recommendations. Aggregations were not driven by fixed resources, indicating that other factors, such as sociality, may drive aggregation behaviour. Results also show that current netting practices could be optimized by increasing netting lengths from 50 to 80 m. In addition to aiding conservation and management protocols, these results provide an ecological foundation for exploring the role of social behaviour in this Critically Endangered species.
AB - Eel Management Plans demand European silver eel (Anguilla anguilla) escapement to the sea of at least 40% of that expected historically in the absence of human impacts. Landlocked lentic waterbodies, such as drinking water reservoirs, host substantial numbers of eel, which could represent a significant contribution to catchment-based conservation targets. To optimize netting strategies for eel management policies, information on their aggregation behaviour is currently needed but lacking. We performed a fine-scale acoustic tracking study to monitor the movements of 86 European eel in a UK reservoir. Social network sampling and sensitivity analyses were used to assess whether eel aggregate at scales relevant for current capture techniques. European eel were found to aggregate at spatial and temporal scales of 50 m and 2 days, respectively, which complements current capture methodologies and recommendations. Aggregations were not driven by fixed resources, indicating that other factors, such as sociality, may drive aggregation behaviour. Results also show that current netting practices could be optimized by increasing netting lengths from 50 to 80 m. In addition to aiding conservation and management protocols, these results provide an ecological foundation for exploring the role of social behaviour in this Critically Endangered species.
KW - Anguilla
KW - aggregation
KW - behaviour
KW - ecology
KW - freshwater
KW - lentic
KW - network
KW - reservoir
U2 - 10.1093/icesjms/fsae001
DO - 10.1093/icesjms/fsae001
M3 - Journal article
VL - 81
SP - 402
EP - 410
JO - ICES Journal of Marine Science
JF - ICES Journal of Marine Science
SN - 1054-3139
IS - 2
ER -