About this episode

This episode explores the migration of the American eel from Lake Ontario through Canada, highlighting conservation challenges and personal stories along the way.

The American eel is an unlucky and undeniably slippery hero. Sometimes thought of as slimy or scary, it’s an underdog in the conservation world. An animal existing in frighteningly low abundance compared to its early 20th century glory. An animal that has the power to instantly capture the imagination with its mysterious and obscured life cycle. In this episode, we take a road trip through Canada, following part of the very long and arduous American eel migration from Lake Ontario, talking with people along the way and witnessing their obstacles up close. Support for the production of this podcast was made possible by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, as part of its Great Lakes News Collaborative. Music by Blue Dot Sessions. More at michiganpublic.org/bts

Topics covered

• American eel
• conservation
• migration
• Great Lakes
• road trip
• Canada
• environment

Sponsors

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Mentioned in this episode

Products: American eel

Books & works: Beyond the Shore

Places: Lake Ontario, Canada

More episodes of Beyond the Shore

• Beyond the Shore presents: How Wild from KALW · June 11, 2026 · 33 min
• The American Storytelling collection explores the great outdoors · June 9, 2026 · 1 min
• The ancient origins of, and enduring connections to Lake Superior · May 22, 2026 · 26 min
• Restoring the dinosaur fish of Lake Erie · May 15, 2026 · 27 min
• Surfing Lake Michigan · May 8, 2026 · 18 min
• The hidden shipwrecks of Lake Huron · May 1, 2026 · 23 min

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