If you saw an American eel in the water, you might think it was a snake due to its tubular shape, but it’s actually a slimy fish. American eels are one of the depleted species that are a focus of conservation initiatives in New York.
The 2024 presidential election could have big impacts on conservation efforts across the country. In New York, conservation efforts receive a good amount of federal funding, which could be on the chopping block if former President Donald Trump wins the White House. Those cuts could put the American eel – a species that plays a key role in the food chain as both predator and prey throughout New York waters, including in the Hudson, Bronx River and East rivers and the New York Harbor – at risk.
American eel populations have dropped by more than 50% in the last few decades, according to the University of Michigan. The 2011 tsunami in Japan decimated Japanese eel numbers in the country, and much of Europe banned the harvesting of European eels in 2012. That meant consumers had to look elsewhere for their fix – enter the American eel.
