"Save the eels"

[Taro Toporific]

Japanese production of summer favourite eels falling
Channel NewsAsia's Japan Bureau : 03 August 2004 1625 hrs
....Shizuoka Prefecture's Lake Hamana, a well-known eel producing area. Here, there is a mixture of fresh water and sea water from the Pacific Ocean, making it an ideal breeding ground for eels.
Until the mid-1980s, it had been Japan's number one producer of eels, churning out some 7,000 tonnes annually. Now, only about 1,000 tonnes a year are harvested.
Eel breeders say global warming has taken its toll, and too much sea water is seeping into the lake. So experiments are being conducted to save the eels.

[Marked Trail]

"My hovercraft is full of eels."

[Captain Japan]

Eel breeders say global warming has taken its toll, and too much sea water is seeping into the lake.

I'd love to read how they came up with this conclusion.

[DrBlue]

NPR did a feature on this: "Disappearance of Eels Worldwide Puzzles Scientists". It's about 5 min. long, and has some nice information.

[jingai]

Eel breeders say global warming has taken its toll, and too much sea water is seeping into the lake.

I'd love to read how they came up with this conclusion.

My guess is that decreased rain/snowfall means less freshwater that feeds into the lake. Global warming is already starting to affect precipitation patterns.

[Taro Toporific]

AFP PHOTO/JIJI PRESS, 22 July 2005, OSAKA, JAPAN: A custom officer holds a live eel imported from China for custom clearance at the Kansai International Airport in Osaka, western Japan. Due to the upcoming eel-eating day on July 28, when eel restaurants and shops do their record business of the year, the Japanese airlines make special flights to import 109 tonnes of eels from China for Japan's popular summer delicacy.

Next Thursday, the 28th, is Doyo-no-Ushi-no-Hi. Traditionally, Japanese think that this is the hottest day of the year. Everyone is supposed to eat eels since eating eels helps the metabolism, accelerates perspiration, makes up for the loss of energy and renews strength in the summer heat. Ri-i-i-ight.

The problem is that eels are a lot like Japanese people today---they refuse to breed in Japan. Japanese eel in serious decline but their desire to eat eel has increased...so the Japanese buy cheap Chinese eels.
Problem: Eels won't breed in filthy, poluted Chinese waters so the Chinese airfreight in live young eels called "elvers," from Europe. The European Union, concerned over depleting eel stocks since last year more than 600,000 pounds of baby eels were flown to China (but only about 30 percent survived). Then the surviving eels are flown alive to Japan. DAMN! These jetset eels have more mileage than a pack of Roppongi hookers.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Taro,

That is damn interesting. Are these the same species of eel? Imagine how sad it would be if you could no longer get unagi in Japan.

[American Oyaji]

Unagizushi in the states get's their eels from thailand.

[Captain Japan]

A Japanese cook shows slippery eels before preparing to cook them in Tokyo on Wednesday ahead of "Eel Day" on Thursday. Eating broiled eels on Eel Day is a Japanese tradition to help restore one's vitality and endure the heat during the hot summer days.
From the Mainichi

[Akito]

On a completely unrelated note, I fell into Lake Hamana on the weekend...

[Mennon]

Here we go on Eel day.
Warning - more sick than pornographic.
You are warned.

http://www.thats-fucked-up.com/media/eel_woman.php

[Greji]

Here we go on Eel day.
Warning - more sick than pornographic.
You are warned.

http://www.thats-fucked-up.com/media/eel_woman.php

I'll leave that to your eel.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Here we go on Eel day.
Warning - more sick than pornographic.
You are warned.

http://www.thats-fucked-up.com/media/eel_woman.php

They cut off the end where the other girl take one of the live eels that just shot out of her partner's ass and chews it up.

[Akito]

There were... so.... many....