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Demographic survey of the yellow-phase Japanese eel Anguilla japonica in Japan

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Abstract

Catch statistics and biological data of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica from 12 river systems in nine prefectures of Japan (36°N, 140°E–31°N, 130°E) during 1999–2004 were analyzed in order to evaluate the demography of A. japonica in Japan. Significant differences in biological characteristics of 6388 eels were found among the river systems. Fishery catches of eels in all locations have declined, but the magnitudes or patterns of decline seem to be different. Of sex-identified eels, mean total lengths ± SD (mm) of females (n = 3776) and males (n = 962) were 495.6 ± 104.3 and 412.9 ± 80.7, respectively, and overall sex ratio (% female) was 79.6 %. Mean age (years) and growth rate (mm year−1) were 5.0 ± 1.9 and 96.7 ± 38.6 for females (n = 3643) and 3.6 ± 1.7 and 120.5 ± 65.4 for males (n = 907), respectively. This study highlights the demographic heterogeneity of the A. japonica among the studied river systems, which suggests that it is important to conserve a variety of habitats in multiple river systems as an inclusive management target in addition to restoration of the diversity of habitats for eels in a single river system.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the “Program for Inland Fishery Resource Management” of the Japanese Fisheries Agency and was carried out in collaboration with the Japan Fisheries Resource Conservation Association. The authors would like to thank the staff of Prefectural Fisheries Centers who joined this program and engaged in the field surveys to collect the data. We also thank the staff of the Statistics Department, of the Minister’s Secretariat, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan for providing the fisheries catch data, S. Furukawa for helping statistical analysis, and B. Knights and M.J. Miller for helping to improve the manuscript. K.Y. was financially supported by a Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (No. 245842) from the Japan Society for Promotion of Science.

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Author notes

  1. Yasuyuki Kaneko

    Present address: NIPPON KOEI CO., LTD., 1-11-28 Dekijima, Niigata, 950-0962, Japan

  2. Katsumi Tsukamoto

    Present address: College of Bio-resource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for East China Sea Research, Nagasaki University, 1551-7 Taira-machi, Nagasaki, 851-2213, Japan

    Kazuki Yokouchi

  2. Japan Fisheries Resource Conservation Association, 1-1 Akashi, Chuo, Tokyo, 140-0044, Japan

    Yasuyuki Kaneko

  3. Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Kenzo Kaifu

  4. Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan

    Jun Aoyama & Katsumi Tsukamoto

  5. National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency, 2482-3 Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi, 321-1661, Japan

    Kazuo Uchida

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  1. Kazuki Yokouchi
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Correspondence to Kazuki Yokouchi.

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Yokouchi, K., Kaneko, Y., Kaifu, K. et al. Demographic survey of the yellow-phase Japanese eel Anguilla japonica in Japan. Fish Sci 80, 543–554 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-014-0735-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-014-0735-9

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