Species profile
American Eel
Anguilla rostrata
Identify American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 18 jurisdictions.
At a glance
American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) is an IUCN Endangered bony-fish species regulated in 20 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 1 (Delaware); the most generous is 50 (New Jersey).
Across 15 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 10.0 in.
Confirmed by 3,369 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with New York, Maryland, and Nova Scotia the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- The only catadromous fish in eastern North America — it lives in fresh water but spawns at sea.
- Every American eel hatches in the Sargasso Sea and may travel thousands of miles inland to reach a home stream.
- Can wriggle overland through wet grass to access isolated ponds and streams.
- Females can live over 20 years in freshwater before making their single spawning migration.
- Can grow up to 4 feet long and weigh up to 17 pounds; females grow far larger than males.
Where American Eel are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for American Eel
Background
The American eel is a facultative catadromous eel found on the eastern coast of North America. Freshwater eels are fish belonging to the elopomorph superorder, a group of phylogenetically ancient teleosts. The American eel has a slender, supple, snake-like body that is covered with a mucus layer, which makes the eel appear to be naked and slimy despite the presence of minute scales. A long dorsal…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's American Eel article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is American Eel?
American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) is an IUCN Endangered bony-fish species regulated in 20 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for American Eel?
American Eel is Anguilla rostrata.
Is American Eel regulated for fishing?
Yes — American Eel has fishing regulations in 18 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify American Eel?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes American Eel along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.