Which eel native to eastern North America migrates to the Sargasso Sea to spawn?

The American eel is native to eastern North America and migrates to the Sargasso Sea to spawn.

American eels spend much of their growth phase in freshwater, estuaries and coastal waters from the Atlantic coast of Canada and the United States southward. After maturing, they undertake a remarkable downstream and oceanic migration to the Sargasso Sea, a region of the North Atlantic associated with floating Sargassum seaweed.

Spawning occurs far offshore. The adults are believed to die after reproduction, while their larvae, called leptocephali, drift on ocean currents toward North America. As they approach the coast, they transform into transparent glass eels, then enter rivers and streams and develop into yellow eels before eventually becoming mature silver eels.

The European eel also has a famous Sargasso Sea connection, which can cause confusion. It migrates there from Europe, whereas the American eel is the species associated with eastern North America. American eels can spend roughly 10 to 25 years growing before making their final spawning migration.