Is it legal to kill Congers?

[Cormdogg]

I thought it was illegal to take any eel?
Can someone clarify please?

[jd]

Think it's just freshwater eels

C.S. 303, 2009

(2) In this Article “eel” means eel of the species Anguilla anguilla.

[chrisfeeney30]

Ya as far as im aware its only illegal to kill freshwater eels

[Cormdogg]

Thanks, a guy killed a strap conger where I was fishing today, probably annoyed me more because Ive never caught a conger from that spot!

[gfkelly1969]

you can kill conger if you want but not European eel as there is a ban on fishing them,the European eel is also called a Common eel,freshwater eel, River eel, Glass eel, Silver eel, Weed eel

the European eel is on the Critically Endangered list
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/60344/0

[fishy1987]

Excuse my previous post!

[Beelo]

cant see why its any different to any other fish, if its for their pot great, if its to parade around for glory not so great. The commercial trawlers catch plenty of them aswell.

[Cormdogg]

If its for the pot, great I agree, just wanted to check because I thought it was illegal to take ALL eels, I thought conger would come into that category. I heard conger is actually great eating

I see guys with pots at Bray Harbor occasionally who take 20-30 eels that are most certainly not congers.

At most of the fishing lakes around the country and especially the pike lakes there are HUGE signs in various languages explaining the laws and regulations re: pike and course fish. Pity there isn't something similar at popular sea fishing spots, not that there are many rules or regulations! Does signage go up at popular Bass beaches during the ban?

It'd be nice even to see PLEASE DO NOT LITTER signs at popular fishing spots.

Apart from Bass I don't know of any other regulation re: size, bag limit of any other species. I know it's illegal to take skate, but you won't get many of them from the shore

[The Austrian]

yes, from the legal point of view it is permitted to kill a conger - but always consider beforehand that you might attract lots of really bad angling karma for your actions

[Pyreneenguy]

You find conger in most fish-shops / super-markets here in France and it's not exactly cheap ! I've tried it a few times and it's quite

flavoursome.


Personally, I no longer fish for conger as I hate hurting a big eel that I know I will be returning. Having said that, my biggest weighed in

at 38 pounds and is the biggest fish I've had off the shore !

[biker]

i dont like the idea of killing any big fish really, mackeral are the only ones i dont care about and they were all put to good use ! between me and my buddy fishing every weekend since early june we have only taken home 1 fish besides mackeral, a single pollock last weekend

[blowin]

..... I heard conger is actually great eating ......

That is definitely a matter of opinion . Not so in mine or the several friends I gave some steaks to .
Presumably you know an effective way of killing them if you are determined to try one ?
Good luck

[DaleB91]

I dont think its illegal but its frowned upon by other anglers I'd imagine. Those fresh water eel are some bloody nu sance! By the time you have em untangled and hooks takin out of them there close on dead and you know they won't survive but still put em back just incase. Grandfather told me that they are a very good sea bait also.

[Cormdogg]

I've no intention of ever killing or eating a conger, just want to catch a big one

[Big Bass]

I dont think its illegal,but I was led to believe that the conger had to be of a certain size before legal.you've got my brain twitching,I will have to reseach it a bit more

[Big Bass]

Couldnt find any laws on congers but what I did find is that,no.1 they dont have any distinctive taste and no.2 they only produce once in their life,so why anybody would want to kill such a great and hard fighting fish is beyond me,after all,almost everybody has a camera these days, theres no need to bring this fish home,have a kodak moment and put the fish back

[jbhartin]

I agree - why would anyone want to kill a conger beats me - such wonderful and strong fighters . As for eating one well I,d say you would need to be starving with hunger to try one .. However the much smaller silver eel that is found in Lough Foyle is excellent eating and if you have a smoker it,s even better .. one would be hard pushed to tell it apart from smoked mackerel ..
Leave the congers alone !

[JOHN1]

[quote="jbhartin"] However the much smaller silver eel that is found in Lough Foyle is excellent eating and if you have a smoker it,s even better .. one would be hard pushed to tell it apart from smoked mackerel ..
quote]
i dont know what part of lough foyle your talking about but the eels you talk about are a protected species in the republic, so if i were you i would not be reccomending smoking them or eating them for that matter

[baitdigger]

congers are protected and should not be killed,,shame on you,,

while protection and conservation of congers is admirable could you please point me in the direction of the source of your statement because to the best of my knowledge conger are still a commercially caught species and have no lawful protection and should I find them palatable I would be well within my legal right to do so

[kstaff]

Mod edit one post removed. Get your facts right before judging anybody!

Ks