The Cover Up Of The Texas American Eel – by Jason Fregia
Eels are known as one of the most valuable fish on the east coast, which its (fry) or baby glass eels can bring more than $2,000 per pound to the fisherman and more than $3,000 per pound to overseas buyers http://www.newsobserver.com/
One of the species of eels is the Anguilla Rostrata known as American eel. This species of eels occurs in a variety of habitats. It is widespread in North America including Texas having the largest population in all of North American. Our research has shown this over the last 8 years.
Recently there was a petition filed with USFW to list the American eel as a Threatened species by CESAR “Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability”, The American eel was not listed under the threatened Species Act by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to the wildlife service the American eel’s population is still stable. Without knowing of the huge population of American eels that
exist in Texas.
http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-endangered-species-act-list-wont-add-us-140334577.html
Texas is not allowing the harvest of the eels due to the result of a cover up to protect Texas Parks and Wildlife from legal repercussions due to falsifying Federal Documents. The research and surveys they do or then altered by the superiors in Texas Parks and Wildlife to hide the numbers caught when conducting sampling in Texas waters. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department consistently sticks with” that eels are not present or at least in a very few numbers in the areas of Texas”
This however is opposed by TEXAS AMERICAN EEL ASSOCIATION, our researchers who have seen schools 3 ft. deep 100 yards wide and a mile long coming into Texas Rivers from the Gulf of Mexico and have caught adult eels for spawning research in an abundant amount all over Texas.
There are several reasons why Texas Parks and Wildlife Department have been cheating and lying about the existence of the American eels in Texas and deleting the number of eels caught during their sampling.
One of the reasons is Texas Parks and Wildlife has been falsifying Federal Environmental Impact Reports for the last 30 years to get permits from the Federal Government for obstructions . to be built in Texas rivers like the Neches River Saltwater Barrier and the renewal of the hydro dam permits. None of these permits would ever be approved by the United States Government without fish right a ways installed according to Federal Law so not to impede a Native migratory fish. Then the filling in of certain waterways like Rollover pass in Gilchrist TX and major migratory route for Adult American eels to the Gulf of Mexico The pass is used by the glass eels to reenter the bays and rivers. They are aware that American eels use these watercourses for migration, thus the present of eels would stop them of getting permits. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/1996-federal-environmental-impact-report-page-neches-river-fregia?trk=mp-author-card
One of the studies published by the American Fisheries Society in one of their symposium series shows the significant damaged done by barriers to eels. It explained that American eel mortality increased substantially over the past century, on which only 2.8 out of every 100 eels would survive passing through them as they traveled through the Mississippi and Ottawa Rivers to the Upper St. Lawrence river. http://www.
You have to ask, why has Texas Parks and Wildlife refused to admit the American eel exist in such vast numbers and chose to not install fish right a way around these dams rather than conserving the migrating species such as eels? When they claim to be such conservationist. Has to do with the legal repercussions of falsifying the Federal Environmental Impact Reports over the last 30 years and then it would be a lot more difficult to get permits afterwards to build obstructions in Texas waters. Texas Parks and Wildlife is very well known about doing favors for rich landowners in Texas regardless of the Federal Laws protecting wildlife, but then create such propaganda and claim to be such conservationist which in fact Texas Parks and Wildlife has proven time after time they’re not.
American eels with its high prices are undeniably valuable both for the people of Texas and its economy $467.1 billion as the State of Texas Comp Controller page states. Without recognizing its existence and using this resources sustainable Texas parks and Wildlife has been costing the State of Texas and its economy jeopardizing over $467.1 billion in industries as the State of Texas Comp Controller page states. Without recognizing its existence and using this sustainable resource Texas parks and Wildlife could be costing the State of Texas and its citizens billions of dollars of revenue and jobs if the American eel was ever listed as a threatened or endangered species. Allowing for the false count of the truth of the American Eel in the United States making it easier for groups like CESAR to waste USFW and the Federal Government time and our tax dollars for unwarranted Petitions. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department should be held accountable for their criminal actions against the State of Texas and its Citizens and Federal Government Agencies.