Lifecycle of Anguilla anguilla.
As with all fresh water species of eel the life cycle is dependant on a warm onshore tropical current. Where no such current exists, such as the West coast of South America there are no eels.
It is generally accepted that the European eel spawns in the Sargasso sea and the leptocephali are carried across the Atlantic in the North Atlantic currents to Europe. The actual mechanism of the drift and the time span involved is a matter of considerable debate. The leptocephali metamorphose into glass eels on the continental shelf before migrating to the coastal areas. The Anguilla anguilla can be found in the most Northern extremes of Europe. It has been identified in the Canary Islands so the presumption is that the glass eels are swept southwards in the colder Canaries current but seem to be carried away from the African continental shelf. Our own research would indicate that the eel is not recognised between Agadir and Daker on the West coast of Africa.
It is likely that the eels will take some years to reach maturity in temperate waters. There are records indicating that some large mature females are more than 20 years old. It is generally accepted that the period in fresh water could be in the region of five to six years and perhaps shorter in a Mediterranean climate. The mature eels typically start their migration seaward in the autumn. It would appear that the migration is stimulated by increased water flows and a
