which contains the infective stages of the 

 parasite. 



The researcher notes that the intensity of 

 infection was moderate, with a mean range of 

 from 2 to 12 nematodes per eel. The presence 

 of the nematode in the swim bladder does not 

 affect the edibility of the eel. 



"We found little evidence of deleterious 

 effects of nematode infections on the eel," he 

 says. 



Few were found to have external 

 symptoms of the nematode's presence, such as 

 lesions around the anus or on the skin. In fact, 

 there was evidence the eel may thicken its 

 bladder as a defense mechanism. 



So, the jury still is out on whether the 

 nematode is the smoking gun in the case of the 

 disappearing eel. But, Patrick urges additional 

 eel population studies to get a handle on the 

 status. In addition to having an impact on the 

 commercial eel fishery, a change in eel 

 populations could impact the food chain for 

 several game fish. 



Some North Carolina anglers believe the 

 abundance of striped bass, which love eel, also 

 could be a factor in thinning eel supplies. 



Whatever the reason or reasons may be, 

 Martie Bouw, owner of the Holland Seafood 

 Company in Arapahoe, knows for sure that 

 export numbers are down. The only eel 

 exporter left on the East Coast, he says last 

 year was the worst year in pounds and in 

 price. 



He shipped between 700,000 and 

 800,000 pounds of American eels — the 

 combined catch from North Carolina, 

 Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. Ten years 

 ago, North Carolina alone accounted for 

 nearly 900,000 pounds of eels exports. 



But Bouw is inclined to be optimistic. "I 

 think the numbers are down, but not for lack 

 of eels in the waters. I think there needs to be a 

 serious effort by commercial eelers," he says. 



To him, a serious effort means working 

 200 to 300 pots per eeler. 



BACKATBELHAVEN 



That would certainly mean a lot of extra 

 business for ET. and Katie. It could seriously 

 cut the time the Sawyers spend hosting East 

 Carolina University marine biology students. 

 During regular class visits, the couple 



familiarize students with basic equipment and 

 talk about the local fishing trade. 



They also spend a lot of one-on-one 

 time with student researchers needing 

 custom-designed traps or equipment for 

 specific projects. The Sawyers also hook up 

 students with commercial fishers who offer 

 practical knowledge of a particular fishery. In 

 turn, ECU professors are great resources 

 when a local fisher needs to identify a 

 mystery catch. 



The Sawyers enjoy keeping close ties to 

 ECU, since E.T. is a 1967 alumnus with a 

 degree in accounting. Except for a few years 

 in Lake Lure, his career in accounting has 

 kept the family close to the Belhaven-Pantego 

 area, where they both grew up. Katie is a 

 professional cosmetician who owned and 

 operated a local shop for a number of years. 



Her natural "people skills" easily 

 translated to the supply business they 

 purchased in 1995. 



"I kept books for the woman who 

 owned the shop for a number of years. One 

 day she said she thought we ought to buy her 

 out," E.T. recalls. 



They did, and have never regretted the 

 decision. 



Some days, most of the "business" 

 comes from lost tourists, including journalists. 

 Last year, their hospitality earned Belhaven 

 Eel & Crab Pot & Supply a photo and write- 

 up in Southern Living magazine. 



"I guess we're really in the people 

 business," Katie observes. "And we do love 

 the people here. You get to hear a lot of fish 

 stories. Sometimes you even can tell which 

 ones to believe." 



They have a lot of respect for their 

 customers who make a living on the water. 



"It's often an uncertain living. But they 

 never complain — even when we were 

 flooded in 1999. It was a bad time. A lot of 

 them lost boats and equipment. They made 

 do — and blessed what was left," Katie says. 



Bad times? Sure. But most of them 

 expect times will get better. 



And, Katie and E.T. Sawyer will be 

 ready for a much prayed for, record season of 

 crab and eel landings. As we say good bye, 

 the once-lost 18-wheeler, loaded down with 

 rolls of wire mesh, is pulling in. □ 



The Mysterious Life 

 of an American Eel 



From deep below the grassy surface of 

 the Sargasso Sea in the middle of the Atlantic 

 Ocean, eggs from the American eel (Anguilla 

 rostrata) hatch into transparent larvae less 

 than a half-inch in size. The currents that whirl 

 about the Sargasso Sea carry the larvae 

 throughout the Atlantic from Greenland to the 

 tropics. 



American eels hitch a ride on the Gulf 

 Stream to the East Coast. Their European 

 cousins (Anguilla anguilla) drift on the North 

 Atlantic currents to Europe and south to 

 North Africa. 



This migration to land can take several 

 years. When they reach the coast, they 

 undergo a metamorphosis — lengthening and 

 flattening, and becoming transparent. At this 

 stage, they are known as "glassers." 



As they continue to journey into estuaries 

 and on to freshwater rivers, streams and 

 tributaries, they turn smoky grey, and are 

 known as "elvers." 



They grow, turn brownish-yellow and 

 become more determined to complete their 

 upstream journey, even slithering across grass 

 or rocks to reach their destination. The mucus 

 secretion from their skin helps them stay out 

 of water for long periods of time. 



They grow to maturity, eating crusta- 

 ceans, smaller fish and plankton. Many 

 juveniles stay in sound or estuarine areas and 

 don't venture into riverine settings. 



Scientists say eels spend from seven to 30 

 years upstream or in estuaries, growing to 

 nearly a yard in length. Some mysterious signal 

 triggers a color change and the urge to spawn. 



Now silver, the mature eel makes the 

 hazard-filled journey back to the Sargasso Sea 

 to spawn — and die. 



COASTWATCH 15 



