Eel Fishing in the Côte-du-Sud Region

Have you ever noticed the long fence-line structures on the foreshore of the St. Lawrence River? They are seasonal installations used to fish eel. Although these structures are seen less and less along the river and on its islands, fortunately they still reappear every year in one of Québec’s regions, the Côte-du-Sud.

 
A dozen so enthusiasts have always fished eel in the stretch of the river between Saint-André-de-Kamouraska and Rivière-Ouelle. These fishermen are the guardian of a family heritage based largely on ancestral know-how.

In the company of these fishermen, you will discover, through video testimony and archival documents, the history and techniques of eel fishing, which doesn’t involve boats, bait or hooks.

You will also learn remarkable facts about the American eel, a unique fish that enabled the first settlers to survive the long winters in New France without starving.

Legends, popular sayings and short anecdotes will help you understand the relationship between humans and eels, which has always been somewhat mixed.

Come with us to the Côte-du-Sud and experience eel-fishing first hand.

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