On the food of the freshwater eels and their feeding relationship with the salmonids

Following the results of the cursory investigations made by Jones & Evans (1960,1962) into the predatory habits of eels we decided to enlarge on this work. Consequently we looked at the stomach contents of about 5000 eels. In addition and at the same time two Welsh streams carrying salmonids were selected and sampled specifically to try to determine the relationship in the feeding habits of eels and salmonids. The food of eels consisted mainly of trichopteran and dipteran larvae and plecopteran and ephemeropteran nymphs, though at times Gastropoda, Annelida, Crustacea and fish were common in the stomachs. Fish was not an important dietary item but, when eaten, the fish most commonly taken were elvers and eels. In the River Dwyfach the salmonids ate more or less the same type of food as the eels, but the trout ate more surface food than the young salmon. The similarity in feeding between the eels and salmonids resulted in apparent competition during the warmer months. In winter when the eels ate little the competition was thus almost negligible. Even though we speak of competition for the food available in the summer months we feel that before this can be accepted as fact we must know the relative abundance of each food organism eaten at this time.