Anguillid eels are found globally in fresh, transitional and saline waters and have played an important role in human life for centuries. The population status of several species is now of significant concern. The threats to populations include direct exploitation at different life stages, blockages to migratory routes by dams and other structures, changes in river basin management that impact habitat carrying capacity and suitability, pollution, climate change, diseases and parasites. While much has been done to understand eel biology and ecology, a major challenge is to identify the key research and management questions so that effective and targeted studies can be designed to inform conservation, management and policy. We gathered 30 experts in the field of eel biology and management to review the current state of knowledge for anguillid eel species and to identify the main topics for research. The identified research topics fell into three themes: (a) Lifecycle and Biology; (b) Impacts and (c) Management. Although tropical anguillid eels are by far the least well understood, significant knowledge gaps exist for all species. Considerable progress has been made in the last 20 years, but the status of many species remains of great concern, particularly for northern temperate species. Without improved engagement and coordination at the regional, national and international level, the situation is unlikely to improve. Further, adaptive management mechanisms to respond to developments in science, policy and our knowledge of potential threats are required to ensure the future of these important and enigmatic species.

中文翻译：

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鳗鱼科学进步和可持续管理的重要问题

鳗鲡在全球的淡水、过渡水域和咸水中均有发现，几个世纪以来一直在人类生活中发挥重要作用。几个物种的种群状况现在备受关注。对人口的威胁包括不同生命阶段的直接开发、大坝和其他结构对迁徙路线的阻塞、影响栖息地承载能力和适宜性的流域管理变化、污染、气候变化、疾病​​和寄生虫。虽然在了解鳗鱼生物学和生态学方面已经做了很多工作，但一个主要的挑战是确定关键的研究和管理问题，以便可以设计有效和有针对性的研究来为保护、管理和政策提供信息。我们聚集了 30 位鳗鱼生物学和管理领域的专家，回顾了鳗鱼种类的当前知识状态，并确定了研究的主要课题。确定的研究课题分为三个主题： (a) 生命周期和生物学；(b) 影响和 (c) 管理。尽管到目前为止，热带鳗鲡是最不为人所知的，但所有物种都存在重大的知识差距。在过去的 20 年中取得了相当大的进步，但许多物种的状况仍然令人非常关注，尤其是北温带物种。如果不加强区域、国家和国际层面的参与和协调，情况就不可能改善。此外，适应科学发展的适应性管理机制，