Making STraw Eel Ropes To Help Eels

Last month the team and volunteers began the process of making straw eel ropes, which will be installed on the Afon Glaslyn. These simple but effective devices are designed to help juvenile eels (elvers) move upstream by giving them a rough, climbable surface to navigate barriers like weirs, culverts, and other in-river structures.

Why Do Eels Need Our Help?

European eels have one of the most remarkable life stories in the animal kingdom. They're born in the Sargasso Sea, and spend 1 - 3 years drifting on ocean currents as larvae before washing up in European rivers as tiny, almost transparent glass eels. From there, they push upstream into freshwater, where they'll quietly live and grow for up to two decades. Then, when the time comes, they return to the Sargasso Sea to breed and die.

Rivers across the UK and Europe are riddled with obstacles. Dams, sluices, old mill weirs, culverts, many of them blocking passage for fish. For a young elver trying to make its way upstream, these barriers can create a real issues. Fewer eels reaching good habitat means fewer adults making it back to spawn, and the population has been quietly collapsing as a result.

The European eel is now critically endangered and face significant challenges. Modifying barriers is one way we can try and help.

This work is being carried out as part of our European Eel project in partnership with Eryri National Park and Local Nature Partnerships. We will be holding more workshops in the near future - so keep an eye on our events page!