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 May 1 until fall.

2026 American Eel Collections^

Week StartingConowingo DamOctoraro Dam
1 - May00
3 - May1923
10 - May7225
17 - May51165
24 - May2952,041
31 - May212481
7 - Jun1,705961
14 - Jun1,2889,512
21 - Jun7862,636
28 - Jun1,2842,022
5 - Jul28,1472,652
12 - Jul6,8184,263
19 - Jul317307
26 - Jul6,33738
2 - Aug21,9931,018
9 - Aug17,95312,389
16 - Aug2,3188,519
23 - Aug1531,948
30 - Aug117897
6 - Sep12,4851,826
13 - Sep5,276553*
20 - Sep89
Totals107,71552,276

^2026 collection numbers are preliminary and may change through the season as collection data are quality checked.

*Octoraro Eel Collection ended on September 15, 2025

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
2024371,65584,895
2025363,303101,845
Total3,133,822362,832

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