Eel experience spot

This experience place is an ode to the eel.

Every inhabitant of Sint-Laureins knew the richness of the creeks. Eels in particular were common. It is nutritious, contains a lot of omega3 protein and was abundant to fish in the creeks at the time. Everyone could fish and all kinds of equipment were used to catch eels. Typical eel restaurants also emerged and you could taste the eel in many varieties: fried, in green, in cream, etc.

This eel sanctuary wants to go back to this period. In addition to an information board about eel and its way of life, you will find a nice picnic spot, a beautiful jetty in the Oostpolderkreek and especially an 'eel tank'. This is a flat-bottomed boat equipped with a cross net, with which fishermen used to fish on the creek.

A few years ago, Sint-Laureins was named Culinary Ambassador of Flanders because of the eel. Many restaurants are still committed to offering delicious eel preparations and there is even a local preparation, namely eel in the Sentse way, where eel beer (Augustijn Grand Cru), shrimps, leeks and cream are important ingredients. 'Pickled eel' from the creeks was also declared a Flemish Regional Product.

Touristically, Sint-Laureins wants to focus fully on its 'eel' through the Order of the Sentse eel. This order cultivates history, gastronomy, landscape and also wants to translate this into tourist arrangements.

At the moment there is still little eel in the creeks due mainly to overfishing of the glass eels, due to water pollution and the fact that eels no longer get inland to the creeks through all kinds of locks and water monuments.

Landelijke Gilden fiets-, wandel- en autoroutes