Dr. William L. Rickards 



Dr. Rickards, assistant director of 

 the UNC Sea Grant Program, is a 

 principal investigator of the eel cul- 

 ture project. 



Eel project offers research and help 



At least two factors contributed to the initiation of North Caro- 

 lina's first eel farming unit, located near New Bern. Channels for 

 exporting full-grown, wild eels from North Carolina to European 

 markets have been firmly established. And several Japanese eel 

 culture organizations have sought new sources of elvers in the 

 eastern part of the state. 



A project to investigate the feasibility of farming the American eel 

 using techniques developed by the Japanese for other eel species was 

 started in North Carolina in 1973. The initial limited project efforts 

 appeared promising and the program is being expanded and im- 

 proved. The eel farming demonstration facility now has the capacity 

 to grow from 48,000-60,000 eels in four outdoor ponds, as well as a 

 series of indoor elver holding and feeding tanks. 



This demonstration facility is not a new concept. The Cooperative 

 Extension Service has operated demonstration farming units for 

 many years, but the existence of such a fish farming unit in North 

 Carolina is new to the state. It has been set up to provide potential 

 eel farmers with a source of up-to-date technical information as well 

 as testing ground for innovations and new ideas which might be 

 beneficial to eel farmers. 



Through the personnel based at the New Bern facility, anyone 

 interested can obtain information concerning eel farming techniques. 

 This includes elver harvesting and handling, feeding and stocking 

 rates and details of pond construction. Information is also available 

 on the present market potential for cultured eels. 



In addition to continuing work on techniques for growing eels, 

 future plans include a study to determine projected production costs, 

 market values and profit capabilities of eel farming. Such an 

 economic analysis should provide project personnel with knowledge 

 needed to modify culture operations to reduce costs. 



An ongoing activity of the project is to get information gained 

 from the study into the hands of individuals who may be interested 

 in farming eels. Assistance is available from project investigators 

 on problems or questions concerning eel culture. The names, ad- 

 dresses and phone numbers of those who can supply you with infor- 

 mation are found in the next column. 



The University of North Carolin 

 monthly by the University of North C 

 ton Laboratories, Yarborough Drive, No 

 N. C. 27607 Vol. 2, No. 6. June, 1975. Dr. B. J. 

 editor. Second-class postage paid at Raleigh, N. C 



info 



For information on 

 ting wild eels contact: 

 per Crow 



U Seafood Labora- 



Box 51 

 Morehead City, N. C. 

 (919) 726-7341 

 To learn more about eel 

 farming and Sea Grant's 

 work with eels contact the 

 following: 



Walt Jones or John 



NCSU Eel Culture 



Project 

 P. O. Box 2494 

 New Bern, N. C. 2SI 

 (919) 633-0414 



or 



Bill Rickards 

 UNC Sea Grant Proj 

 1235 Burlington Lat 

 North Carolina State 



University 

 Raleigh, N. C. 2760 r , 

 (919) 737-245^ 



Eel exports up 



( Continued from p. 1) 



eels were exported from North 

 Carolina in 1973 and again in 

 1974. These amounts are up some 

 400,000 pounds from 1972's eel 

 export estimates. 



As the number of eels shipped 

 out of the state has gone up, so 

 has the amount that eel fisher- 

 men have been paid for their 

 catch. Prices have more than 

 doubled from 23 cents per pound 

 in 1972 to 50 cents per pound in 

 1974. 



UNC Sea Grant agents have 

 also lent a hand to eel dealers 

 and exporters. In 1974, the ex- 

 porting end of the eel business 

 got a shot in the arm when East 

 Carolina Industries, a rural co- 

 operative for migrant laborers in 

 Fairfield, opened a freezing 

 plant. Sea Grant agents have 

 provided technical assistance to 

 the cooperative on all aspects of 

 the eel-centered enterprise, in- 

 cluding the manufacture of eel 

 traps, operation of a live-haul 

 truck, freezing and marketing. 



