An IFS Recreational Angling licence is needed to take Long Finned Eel unless captured by the use of a bush pole. A bush pole is defined as a length of wood that is not less than one metre in length and does not have a reel and running line. Licences can be purchased from more than 130 agents located in retail businesses around the state. Licensing agents are primarily fishing stores but also include some trout guides, Service Tasmania outlets and the IFS head office

Elongated cylindrical form, with continuous dorsal-caudal-anal fins. The dorsal fin origin is clearly in front of the anal fin origin.

Adults are dark greenish-brown to black with a mottled or spotted appearance on the back and sides with a lighter belly

Commonly up to 1 m, but can reach 1.5 m and in excess of 20 kg

Native to Tasmania and south east Australia, New Zealand and some Pacific Islands, although in Tasmania it is more common in the north east. Females grow larger than males and both sexes can probably exceed 30 years of age. They are taken in small quantities by commercial eel fishermen, but consumer demand is not as high compared to the short-finned eel

It is believed adult eels migrate downstream upon sexual maturity to breed at great depth in or near the Coral Sea. Spawning time is unknown, but they are believed to die after spawning. Larval eels are then swept back to the coast by ocean currents, where they transform into glass eels and move into the estuaries from February to April, where they become pigmented elvers. These elvers then move into the lower reaches of streams.

Occurs in a wide variety of wetland habitats including rivers and creeks and swamps but is not as common in lakes. Generally prefers still water.

Feeds on a variety of aquatic fauna including insects, crustaceans, molluscs and fish, and has been known to take juvenile waterfowl.

Large instream barriers, including hydro dams; Commercial over fishing

Reasonably common in coastal streams and swamps on the northern and eastern coast