Fisheries management, Species status assessment
Susquehanna River American Eel Passage

States

Maryland

American eel are collected in eel ladders at Conowingo Dam and in Octoraro Creek and transported upstream of the mainstem dams and released in the Susquehanna River. This program started in 2008. Annual eel collection occurs from late spring until early fall.

2024 American Eel Collections^

Week StartingConowingo DamOctoraro Dam
28 - Apr1,3341
5 - May12,9652
12 - May2,4730
19 - May2,8184
26 - May19,31480
2 - Jun3,16134,480
9 - Jun1,65917,609
16 - Jun1,730249
23 - Jun12,54154
30 - Jun3,3991,490
7 - Jul5,37732
14 - Jul2,51913
21 - Jul1,07219
28 - Jul11,4591,972
4 - Aug6,99128,809
11 - Aug36,3121
18 - Aug125,60448
25 - Aug54,02521
1 - Sep41,46710
8 - Sep16,8551
15 - Sep2,9620*
22 - Sep1,755
29 - Sep1,533
6 - Oct243
13 - Oct25
20 - Oct94
27 - Oct46
3 - Nov44
10 - Nov215
17 - Nov59
24 - Nov168
1 - Dec5
Season Totals370,21984,895

^2024 collection numbers are preliminary and may change through the season as collection data are quality checked.

*Octoraro Eel collection ended on September 15

Annual American Eel Collections

YearConowingo Eel LadderOctoraro Eel Ladder
200842,058-
200917,437-
201023,856-
201184,961-
2012135,748-
2013293,141-
2014185,628-
201558,4447,179
20162,68421,094
2017122,30011,347
201867,9494,203
2019126,18114,170
2020254,6513,597
2021623,09545,230
2022139,7987,159
2023217,03562,113
Total2,398,864176,092

Facilities

Atlantic sturgeon swimming underwater
Mid-Atlantic Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office
The Mid-Atlantic Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office works to protect the fish and water resources of the Susquehanna River and Delaware River basins. Our office represents the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the Delaware River Basin Commission.
Conservation Office
Annapolis,MD