Landings, abundance series, and biological data for a potential range-wide American eel stock assessment

PURPOSE:

To provide a permanent repository of key data series necessary to build a range-wide American eel stock assessment.

DESCRIPTION:

This collection presents data associated with the following report:

Cairns, D.K. 2020. Landings, abundance indicators, and biological data for a potential range-wide American eel stock assessment. Canadian Data Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. No. 1311: v + 180 pp.

Much of the data collection is from the Atlantic Provinces of Canada, particularly the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The collection also includes data from elsewhere in the American eel's range in Canada, and also the United States and the Caribbean Basin.

Files in the collection are as follows.

Cairns2020_AnnexA_ReportTables.xlsx: This Excel file (file size 756 kb) contains all 37 tables in Cairns (2020) exactly as they appear in the report.

Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx: This Excel file (file size 3.1 mb) contains 20,047 records of American eel lengths and other biological data from the Canadian Atlantic Provinces, 1983-2017. Records include weights of 8,915 eels and ages of 2,212 eels. Records of 3,224 electrofishing sessions in the Miramichi River, New Brunswick, 1952-2019, and records of 2,590 electrofishing sessions in the Restigouche River, New Brunswick, 1972-2019 are included.

Cairns2020_AnnexC_EelLengthsAgesDataDefinitions.csv: This .csv file (file size 4 kb) gives data definitions in English and French for the table of eel lengths and other biological data that is contained in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx and in Cairns2020_AnnexD_EelLengthsAges.csv.

Cairns2020_AnnexD_EelLengthsAges.csv: This file (file size 2.0 mb) presents in .csv format the table of eel lengths and other biological data that is also presented in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx.

Cairns2020_AnnexE_EelEFishingDataDefinitions.csv: This .csv file (file size 2 kb) gives data definitions in English and French for the table of eel electrofishing data that is contained in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx and in Cairns2020_AnnexD_EelLengthsAges.csv.

Cairns2020_AnnexF_EelEFishing.csv: This file (file size 314 kb) presents in .csv format the table of eel electrofishing data that is also presented in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx.

Cairns2020_AnnexG_OtolithImageMetadata.csv: This .csv file (file size 2 kb) provides metadata for the collection of eel otolith images.

Files with names starting with EelOtos . . . . : These .tif, .jpg, and .bmp image files are in zipped format with a summed size of 5.3 gb. The files give magnified photos of 1,838 eel otoliths that have been prepared for age reading. Samples are from the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Individual otolith codes in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx and in Cairns2020_AnnexC_EelLengthsAgesDataDefinitions.csv match the codes embedded in otolith image filenames.

PARAMETERS COLLECTED:

American eel landings, number caught, and effort of commercial and research fishing gear. American eel lengths, ages, sex and other biological data and sampling locations.

NOTES ON QUALITY CONTROL:

All keypunched records of landings, densities, and other data were verified against original sources. Landings and abundance indices were reviewed in a Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientific workshop and corrected as necessary. Length and age data were examined by length-weight and length age plots and implausible records were discarded.

PHYSICAL SAMPLE DETAILS:

No physical samples

SAMPLING METHODS:

Landings are from government fisheries agencies.

Abundance indices are from commercial fyke, spear, and trap catch per unit effort, and from research ladder counts and electrofishing records.

Mean elver lengths are compiled from published literature

Sex ratios are compiled from published literature

Locations of biological and genetic sampling are compiled from published literature

American eel lengths are total length of live specimens. Ages are from otolith annulus readings

Electrofishing records are from backpack electrofishing surveys in wadeable waters

USE LIMITATION:

To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.

Datasets available for download

Additional Info

Field Value
Last Updated October 20, 2025, 02:41 (UTC)
Created October 20, 2025, 02:41 (UTC)
Domain / Topic
Domain or topic of the dataset being cataloged.
Biota, Inland Waters, Oceans
Title
Title for the Dataset.
Landings, abundance series, and biological data for a potential range-wide American eel stock assessment
Description
A description of the dataset.

PURPOSE:

To provide a permanent repository of key data series necessary to build a range-wide American eel stock assessment.

DESCRIPTION:

This collection presents data associated with the following report:

Cairns, D.K. 2020. Landings, abundance indicators, and biological data for a potential range-wide American eel stock assessment. Canadian Data Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. No. 1311: v + 180 pp.

Much of the data collection is from the Atlantic Provinces of Canada, particularly the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The collection also includes data from elsewhere in the American eel's range in Canada, and also the United States and the Caribbean Basin.

Files in the collection are as follows.

Cairns2020_AnnexA_ReportTables.xlsx: This Excel file (file size 756 kb) contains all 37 tables in Cairns (2020) exactly as they appear in the report.

Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx: This Excel file (file size 3.1 mb) contains 20,047 records of American eel lengths and other biological data from the Canadian Atlantic Provinces, 1983-2017. Records include weights of 8,915 eels and ages of 2,212 eels. Records of 3,224 electrofishing sessions in the Miramichi River, New Brunswick, 1952-2019, and records of 2,590 electrofishing sessions in the Restigouche River, New Brunswick, 1972-2019 are included.

Cairns2020_AnnexC_EelLengthsAgesDataDefinitions.csv: This .csv file (file size 4 kb) gives data definitions in English and French for the table of eel lengths and other biological data that is contained in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx and in Cairns2020_AnnexD_EelLengthsAges.csv.

Cairns2020_AnnexD_EelLengthsAges.csv: This file (file size 2.0 mb) presents in .csv format the table of eel lengths and other biological data that is also presented in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx.

Cairns2020_AnnexE_EelEFishingDataDefinitions.csv: This .csv file (file size 2 kb) gives data definitions in English and French for the table of eel electrofishing data that is contained in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx and in Cairns2020_AnnexD_EelLengthsAges.csv.

Cairns2020_AnnexF_EelEFishing.csv: This file (file size 314 kb) presents in .csv format the table of eel electrofishing data that is also presented in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx.

Cairns2020_AnnexG_OtolithImageMetadata.csv: This .csv file (file size 2 kb) provides metadata for the collection of eel otolith images.

Files with names starting with EelOtos . . . . : These .tif, .jpg, and .bmp image files are in zipped format with a summed size of 5.3 gb. The files give magnified photos of 1,838 eel otoliths that have been prepared for age reading. Samples are from the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Individual otolith codes in Cairns2020_AnnexB_EelLengthsAgesEfishingRecords.xlsx and in Cairns2020_AnnexC_EelLengthsAgesDataDefinitions.csv match the codes embedded in otolith image filenames.

PARAMETERS COLLECTED:

American eel landings, number caught, and effort of commercial and research fishing gear. American eel lengths, ages, sex and other biological data and sampling locations.

NOTES ON QUALITY CONTROL:

All keypunched records of landings, densities, and other data were verified against original sources. Landings and abundance indices were reviewed in a Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientific workshop and corrected as necessary. Length and age data were examined by length-weight and length age plots and implausible records were discarded.

PHYSICAL SAMPLE DETAILS:

No physical samples

SAMPLING METHODS:

Landings are from government fisheries agencies.

Abundance indices are from commercial fyke, spear, and trap catch per unit effort, and from research ladder counts and electrofishing records.

Mean elver lengths are compiled from published literature

Sex ratios are compiled from published literature

Locations of biological and genetic sampling are compiled from published literature

American eel lengths are total length of live specimens. Ages are from otolith annulus readings

Electrofishing records are from backpack electrofishing surveys in wadeable waters

USE LIMITATION:

To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.
Tags / Keywords
Keywords/tags categorizing the dataset.
Format (CSV, XLS, TXT, PDF, etc)
File format of the dataset.
Dataset Size
Dataset size in megabytes.
Metadata Identifier
Metadata identifier – can be used as the unique identifier for catalogue entry
Published Date
Published date of the dataset.
2020-08-05
Time Period Data Span (start date)
Start date of the data in the dataset.
Time Period Data Span (end date)
End date of time data in the dataset.
GeoSpatial Area Data Span
A spatial region or named place the dataset covers.
Field Value
Access category
Type of access granted for the dataset (open, closed, service, etc).
License
License used to access the dataset.
Open Government Licence - Canada
Limits on use
Limits on use of data.
Location
Location of the dataset.
https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/7ce80b52-b555-11ea-bdf6-1860247f53e3
Data Service
Data service for accessing a dataset.
Owner
Owner of the dataset.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Contact Point
Who to contact regarding access?
Government of Canada; Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 902-626-5032, [email protected]
Contact Point Email
The email to contact regarding access?
Publisher
Publisher of the dataset.
Publisher Email
Email of the publisher.
[email protected]
Author
Author of the dataset.
Author Email
Email of the author.
Accessed At
Date the data and metadata was accessed.
Field Value
Identifier
Unique identifier for the dataset.
Language
Language(s) of the dataset
Link to dataset description
A URL to an external document describing the dataset.
Persistent Identifier
Data is identified by a persistent identifier.
Globally Unique Identifier
Data is identified by a persistent and globally unique identifier.
Contains data about individuals
Does the data hold data about individuals?
Contains data about identifiable individuals
Does the data hold identifiable data about individual?
Contains Indigenous Data
Does the data hold data about Indigenous communities?
Portal Type
Platform type of the source portal.
Field Value
Version
Version of the datatset
None
Source
Source of the dataset.
None
Version notes
Version notes about the dataset.
Is version of another dataset
Link to dataset that it is a version of.
Other versions
Link to datasets that are versions of it.
Provenance Text
Provenance Text of the data.
Provenance URL
Provenance URL of the data.
Temporal resolution
Describes how granular the date/time data in the dataset is.
GeoSpatial resolution in meters
Describes how granular (in meters) geospatial data is in the dataset.
GeoSpatial resolution (in regions)
Describes how granular (in regions) geospatial data is in the dataset.
Field Value
Indigenous Community Permission
Who holds the Indigenous Community Permission. Who to contact regarding access to a dataset that has data about Indigenous communities.
Community Permission
Community permission (who gave permission).
The Indigenous communities the dataset is about
Indigenous communities from which data is derived.
Field Value
Number of data rows
If tabular dataset, total number of rows.
Number of data columns
If tabular dataset, total number of unique columns.
Number of data cells
If tabular dataset, total number of cells with data.
Number of data relations
If RDF dataset, total number of triples.
Number of entities
If RDF dataset, total number of entities.
Number of data properties
If RDF dataset, total number of unique properties used by the triples.
Data quality
Describes the quality of the data in the dataset.
Metric for data quality
A metric used to measure the quality of the data, such as missing values or invalid formats.

0 Comments

Please login or register to comment.