2011_Warnow: Silver eel migration in the Warnow catchment

This is an acoustic telemetry dataset containing animal (fish) tracking data collected for the project 2011_Warnow. In total 143 female individuals of Anguilla anguilla and 3 female individuals of Anguilla rostrata in their silver eel stage were captured, tagged and released in late 2011. Data have been standardized to Darwin Core using the etn package and are downsampled to the first detection per hour. The original data are managed in the European Tracking Network Data Platform (https://lifewatch.be/etn/).

Migration patterns of 146 female silver eels on their way through fresh and brackish water stretches of the Warnow River into the Baltic Sea were studied using acoustic telemetry. The majority of eels (77%) regained their expected downstream migration behaviour after a median rehabilitation time of 2 days. Positive rheotactic behaviour was observed for 23% of tagged eels after release, probably influenced by experimental procedures. The observed silver eel escapement rate was 63%. Two migratory groups were classified by significantly different migratory speed, time of residence in brackish waters and biometric silvering characteristics. Although the classification of silvering stages is based on these measures, the proportions of these stages did not reflect the observed differences in migratory behaviour. In the context of a permanent silver eel descent in the freshwater part of the Warnow River, a permanent escapement was likewise occurring into the Baltic Sea.

Citation: Frankowski J, Dorow M, Reckordt M, Ubl C (2026). 2011_Warnow: Silver eel migration in the Warnow catchment. Version 1.4. Flanders Marine Institute. Occurrence dataset. https://doi.org/10.14284/736

Published: June 08, 2026 at 15:49

First registration: April 30, 2026 at 16:00

License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License

URL: https://ipt.vliz.be/eurobis/resource?r=2011_warnow