The importance of eels ( Anguilla spp.) for inland small-scale fisheries in local communities of the uMngeni and uThukela catchments, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Résumé

African freshwater eels (Anguilla spp.) are an overlooked economic resource currently under threat. In South Africa, these populations have been in steady decline for over 60 years, yet we know remarkably little about their role in supporting local communities. Here, we seek to understand and explain the undocumented crisis facing these eels. Using a researcher-administered survey, our study investigated the importance of African freshwater eels linked to inland fisheries in KwaZulu-Natal Province across the uMngeni and uThukela catchments during 2021–2022. Survey results (n = 154) in urban and rural areas showed most users were male (n = 102; 66%), between 45 and 59 years of age (15%), and isiZulu-speaking (76%). Of the respondents, 75 (49%) were subsistence fishers; of these, 42 (56%) had caught freshwater eels, and 17 (41%) specifically targeted eels. African freshwater eels were utilized in fisheries across the study area. Fishers that targeted African freshwater eels depended on them for income because of the relatively high demand and value. The demand and value were from local and specialized markets, where some African freshwater eels were sold to traditional healers who use eels in medicinal products for various purposes, as well as to traders (local people, e.g., of Indian or European descent) and foreigners (e.g., East Asian). Our study documented the cultural and economic reliance of subsistence fishers on African freshwater eels. The social-ecological complexities and the localized decline of African freshwater eels have dire local and global implications for these species and associated fisheries. We establish the need for protecting African freshwater eels against the backdrop of global market demands. Proactive policy intervention is urgently needed to balance local subsistence with burgeoning international pressures.

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