What is the Eel Culture book Mollison recommended?

I've been listening to the Mollison PDC from 1983, and I think on track 13a or 13b he mentions raising freshwater eels as a lucrative business venture.

He said there was only one book about freshwater eel culture. He says it was written by a Japanese author.

Does anyone know the book? He never mentioned the name of the book or the author.

Biology and Ecology of Anguillid Eels             (This is the latest authoritative book on this subject)

1st Edition

Takaomi Arai

Available at the CRC Press  https://www.crcpress.com/Biology-and-Ecology-of-Anguillid-Eels/Arai/p/book/9781482255157  Hard back is available for 190.00, E-book is also available 52.16

While the hardback seems like a steep price, do remember that scientific books are full of full color photos and you likely won't have access to that information elsewhere. Plus today you have alternatives like the e-book and renting an e-book.
I far and away prefer to buy hardbacks for my reference library, but that is just me, and I do tend to use my library a lot.

Interesting. Never thought of eels as a permaculture thing but it makes sense. All that I have tried tasted good to excellent except for fermented. Can't recommend that (smelled & tasted awful) but it's considered a delicacy.

I'm with you on the fermented eel Mike, I can not get that stuff down my throat.

Pan fried, baked, stewed, smoked, all are YUM, I love eel sushi too.

I'm with you on the fermented eel Mike, I can not get that stuff down my throat.

haha I rate it about equally pleasant as deep fried shrimp tentacles. (that seemed like eating toothpicks)

Depending on the climate and locality there is also the cat fish either channel cat fish of Europe or the Tandanus species of Australia (eel tailed cat fish). These can reproduce in small systems (aquaponics) or ponds and can be a sustainable food source.

I have done a bit of research on commercial eel culture. Yes, there are profitable eel farms. They are a much sought after food item in several countries.
I haven't found any instance where they are spawned in captivity. Somebody may be doing it and they are keeping quiet about it. I wouldn't blame them, elvers or glass eels or baby eels are one of the most high dollar aquatic animals there are.
Eels are a catadromous species meaning that they migrate down rivers to spawn in the sea, as opposed to anadromous species that migrate from the sea up the rivers to spawn (salmon). Anadromous fish are routinely spawned by people for commercial purposes, catadromous species not so much.
This means that baby eels must be captured as they migrate up the rivers and then sold to eel farmers for grow-out. Some states have a glass eel season. They are tiny and see through, thus glass eels.
I have no problem with this practice as long as their capture is controlled and regulated by qualified Biologists.

Hm. I can't speak to fermented eel, but I like eel sashimi, & tempura - and pickled herring, soooo... Maybe? I'd try it - so (for me) the question would be whether I'm willing to go to that expense and trouble just on the chance I might like it. The answer then, (for me), is oh, HELL no, lol. BUT, I'd be more than willing to try it, and reserve the right to go with it, pending taste bud approval (mine AND hubs')

I can vouch for the eel-tailed catfish of Australia as being both hardy and delicious, if a little weird-looking.

I think both the research and regulations around aquaculture have probably evolved a lot in the last few decades.
The sustainability of large-scale aquaculture has been drowned out by some environmental horror stories and diminishing public support.

Just wondering if it's feasible to raise them in Aquaponics. Couldn't you simulate ocean water for fingerling production?

Bryant RedHawk wrote:Biology and Ecology of Anguillid Eels             (This is the latest authoritative book on this subject)

1st Edition

Takaomi Arai

Available at the CRC Press  https://www.crcpress.com/Biology-and-Ecology-of-Anguillid-Eels/Arai/p/book/9781482255157  Hard back is available for 190.00, E-book is also available 52.16

While the hardback seems like a steep price, do remember that scientific books are full of full color photos and you likely won't have access to that information elsewhere. Plus today you have alternatives like the e-book and renting an e-book.
I far and away prefer to buy hardbacks for my reference library, but that is just me, and I do tend to use my library a lot.

Does this publication get into the culture of eels be it in Aquaponics or Aquaculture systems?

Windy Huaman wrote:Just wondering if it's feasible to raise them in Aquaponics. Couldn't you simulate ocean water for fingerling production?

Yes you could grow them in an aquaponics setup. However you will need to take extra steps to stop them escaping. They are easy to catch, but the laws here are setup to prevent small business. I'm not aware of captive breeding, but it would be profitable if you could do it. Although breeding them would be more of a highly specialized aquaculture activity rather than a backyard permaculture thing.

My favourite maki is the Black Dragon Roll, which in most restaurants I have been to consists of tempura shrimp, avocado, and tobiko in seaweed-wrapped rice topped with BBQ eel. Mmmmmmmm. I feel a sushi trip coming on!

As to catfish, I intend, in my in-ground pond systems, to use native brown bullhead catfish as my bottom-feeder. I was hoping to raise salmon, or at least trout, in the same pond system. But I had never considered eels.

-CK

Steve Mendez wrote:I have done a bit of research on commercial eel culture. Yes, there are profitable eel farms. They are a much sought after food item in several countries.
I haven't found any instance where they are spawned in captivity. Somebody may be doing it and they are keeping quiet about it. I wouldn't blame them, elvers or glass eels or baby eels are one of the most high dollar aquatic animals there are.
Eels are a catadromous species meaning that they migrate down rivers to spawn in the sea, as opposed to anadromous species that migrate from the sea up the rivers to spawn (salmon). Anadromous fish are routinely spawned by people for commercial purposes, catadromous species not so much.
This means that baby eels must be captured as they migrate up the rivers and then sold to eel farmers for grow-out. Some states have a glass eel season. They are tiny and see through, thus glass eels.
I have no problem with this practice as long as their capture is controlled and regulated by qualified Biologists.

I recently heard that there is a small consortium of eel men in Northern Japan that are trying to build a method of spawning eels.
Now whether or not it comes to pass is another story, but they apparently have two marine biologist working with them so we can hope that this happens, that would take pressure off the wild eels.
(On the other hand, if they fail and give up (very unlikely) that might be something to start working on here in the states then sell the technology and equipment to Japan and other countries)

Redhawk

The book does go into most of the current methods that work for commercial eel culture which does include using vats to raise the eels in.

I do eel aquaponics in the UK

More here: https://bristolfish.org/projects/unit-1-vale-lane/

Bryant RedHawk wrote:

Steve Mendez wrote:I have done a bit of research on commercial eel culture. Yes, there are profitable eel farms. They are a much sought after food item in several countries.
I haven't found any instance where they are spawned in captivity. Somebody may be doing it and they are keeping quiet about it. I wouldn't blame them, elvers or glass eels or baby eels are one of the most high dollar aquatic animals there are.
Eels are a catadromous species meaning that they migrate down rivers to spawn in the sea, as opposed to anadromous species that migrate from the sea up the rivers to spawn (salmon). Anadromous fish are routinely spawned by people for commercial purposes, catadromous species not so much.
This means that baby eels must be captured as they migrate up the rivers and then sold to eel farmers for grow-out. Some states have a glass eel season. They are tiny and see through, thus glass eels.
I have no problem with this practice as long as their capture is controlled and regulated by qualified Biologists.

I recently heard that there is a small consortium of eel men in Northern Japan that are trying to build a method of spawning eels.
Now whether or not it comes to pass is another story, but they apparently have two marine biologist working with them so we can hope that this happens, that would take pressure off the wild eels.
(On the other hand, if they fail and give up (very unlikely) that might be something to start working on here in the states then sell the technology and equipment to Japan and other countries)

Redhawk

Very cool. Well I've been learning that in Peru, the two eels aren't actually eels. There's Synbranchus marmoratus http://www.fishbase.se/summary/Synbranchus-marmoratus
Which has a population doubling time of 14 years.

And of course there's the electric eel, Electrophorus electricus. The latter is extremely dangerous to handle, and neither of them have been studied at all from an aquaculture point of view.