AMERICAN EEL BIOLOGICAL SPECIES REPORT U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5 June 2015 This page blank for two-sided printing ii U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Region AMERICAN EEL BIOLOGICAL SPECIES REPORT Steven L. Shepard U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maine Field Office 17 Godfrey Drive, Suite 2 Orono, Maine 04473-3702
[email protected] For copies of this report, contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hadley, MA 01035 http://www.fws.gov/northeast/newsroom/eels.html http://www.regulations.gov This American Eel Biological Species Report has been prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in support of a Status Review pursuant to the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531, et seq. This report reviews the best available information, including published literature, reports, unpublished data, and expert opinions. The report addresses current American eel issues in contemporary time frames. The report is not intended to provide definitive statements on the subjects addressed, but rather as a review of the best available information and ongoing investigations. The report includes updates to, and relevant material from, the Service’s 2007 American Eel Status Review. The report was published in January 2015 following peer review. The report was revised to correct typographical and minor factual errors and reissued in June 2015. With thanks to Krishna Gifford, Martin Miller, James McCleave, Alex Haro, Tom Kwak, David Richardson, Andy Dolloff, Kate Taylor, Wilson Laney, Sheila Eyler, Mark Cantrell, Rosemarie Gnam, Caitlin Snyder, AJ Vale, Steve Minkkinen, Matt Schwarz, Sarah LaPorte, Angela Erves, Heather Bell, the ASMFC American Eel Technical Committee, and the USFWS American Eel Working Group.