Eels of Steel
Photo Credit: Chris Corbett
Whilst the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a culturally and environmentally significant species across the Northeast and UK, strategies for its recovery remain minimal. The Eels of Steel Project is developing monitoring, barrier remediation and habitat creation in the Tees. This is to support recovery of European eel, increase recruitment to the Tees and its tributaries, and improve overall habitat functionality and health.
Combining science, practical solutions and creative community engagement, we hope we can get lots of people excited by eels in the Tees!
This project is funded by Natural England's Protected Site Strategies and made possible in collaboration with Hull University.
For more information please contact the project officer, Ellie Ward
Challenges for eel in the tees
The Tees catchment has a rich industrial heritage - from mining and reservoir construction in the upper reaches, to ship building, steel production and chemical works along the lower estuary. This industry is an important part of the identity of the Tees but has also resulted in a highly modified waterway that presents diverse challenges for fish.
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Include weirs, damns, culverts, tidal flaps, sluices, barrages
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Lead to fragmented habitat and impede upstream migration of eels
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Can prevent silver eel escapement
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Impede the natural flow of a river, alter sediment and nutrient movement and concentrate pollutants
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They change tidal ingress: before the Tees Barrage the river was tidal up to Yarm
Barriers to migration
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Eels use marshes and wetlands to grow and mature and need connectivity between habitats
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England has lost approximately 90% of its wetland environments
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In the Tees estuary vast intertidal habitat, critical for eels, was infilled for industry
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There has been a loss of riverside habitat such as woodland which provide shelter and shade
habitat loss
Pollution
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High nitrate and phosphate as a result of run-off from agriculture, chemical works, sewer outflows
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An increased frequency of high rainfall events means there are more frequent and severe sewage overflow events
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Pollution from abandoned mines
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Run-off from towns, cities and transport
Exploitation
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European eel have been commercially over-exploited across their range
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Glass eels in particular are taken for targeted and then sold for rearing and marketing
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All European eel belong to one genetic population, which means impacts elsewhere threaten the eels in the Tees
Eels of steel
Our project aims
Developing collaborative partnerships,
citizen science and engagement opportunities
Establishing new monitoring sites to survey eel passage and movement
Identifying priority barriers to migration
Mapping opportunities for wetland creation
