Characterizing Sex Ratios of American Eels ( ) in Louisiana.

The American eel ( inhabits Louisiana waterways; however, little is known about their life history, population abundance, or behavior. Eels under 400 mm require histologic evaluation to determine sex. We have processed eel gonad samples from 40 sampling locations across Louisiana, as well as across size categories to aid in establishing a sex determination protocol. One hundred and eighteen (118) eel samples have been histologically analyzed to date. The histologic data compliments morphometric, location, and ageing data collected by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to build an initial understanding of the biological characteristics of American eels in Louisiana.