Large concentrations of eels discovered at an underwater mountain near Tasmania

A new study published in the Royal Society Open Science journal has documented an extraordinary biological phenomenon occurring south of Tasmania, Australia. Millions of deep-sea eels, specifically the species Diastobranchus capensis, gather annually around the Patience Seamount, an isolated underwater mountain located within the Huon Marine Park. Researchers estimate that at the peak of this event, the population reaches approximately 2.8 million eels, with a total biomass exceeding 3,500 metric tons.

While seamounts are frequently recognized as hubs for marine life, the density of this particular gathering is considered exceptional given the relatively small size of the geological feature, which covers roughly two square kilometers. The school of eels can span an area three kilometers long, two kilometers wide, and reach heights of up to 150 meters above the seafloor. Although scientists hypothesize that the eels congregate for reproductive purposes, the precise drivers behind selecting this specific location remain a mystery.

Evidence of this phenomenon dates back several decades, with commercial fishers reporting unusually high numbers of eels in the area as early as the 1980s and 1990s. The site was later confirmed through scientific underwater camera footage. Ongoing research continues to investigate the environmental factors that contribute to this significant marine aggregation.