Growth of European eel in a Turkish river at the southern-eastern limit of its distribution

European eel, Anguilla anguilla L., has a wide distribution from polar to arid climates. The growth and sex in eels from the River Asi, which is in the most arid region of the species distribution, and at a temperature of 21-27 ºC close to the experimentally determined optimum for the eel were examined. A total of 315 European eels were collected between January 1997 ¿May 1998 and April 2003. Growth was fast, with a high asymptotic length. Temperature is the main factor driving to growth; apparently, growth does not cease during the hot, arid summer. Since these fastest growing stocks will be of major significance for overall dynamics of the whole population, further studies of these southern eels will be required.