American Eel Caught and Released

The American eel found in the Chicago River at Grand Avenue last week made headlines across the region as conservationists, anglers, and others celebrated the excitement of such an unexpected animal in reaching our river system. American eels can happily thrive in the Chicago-Claumet River system but their paths are generally blocked by locks and dams which prevent them from easily reaching the now quite hospitable waterway. A fascinating creature who starts life in the Sargasso Sea, spents most of its adult life in freshwater rivers, the American eel is not a common site in Chicago. 

Find out more in this interview with Friends' executive director, Margaret Frisbie, on Fox 32 Chicago.

"It's just terrific evidence of all the work that we've done and our partners have done to make the river healthy for wildlife — and for people too," Frisbie explained. "The symbolism of this beautiful creature coming to the Chicago area and being in our river is just something that gets people attached and excited about wildlife. They start to understand that the river is alive, and if it's healthy and hospitable to wildlife, then we can have beautiful, wonderful, amazing, unusual creatures like an American eel."

The last time Friends saw an American eel was at our 2017 #ChicagoFishes event when a five year old caught one the first day he fished. #cleanwater #healthyfish