Eel buck

An eel buck or eel basket is a type of fish trap that was prevalent in the River Thames in England up to the 20th century. It was used particularly to catch eels, which were a staple part of the London diet.

Eel bucks were baskets made of willow wood, and were often strung together in a fishing weir. Construction of such weirs was outlawed under the terms of Magna Carta in 1215:

All fish-weirs shall be removed from the Thames, the Medway, and throughout the whole of England, except on the sea coast.^[1]

This was intended to keep the rivers navigable by boat,^[2] however the practice continued unabated.

Several islands in the River Thames reflect the presence of bucks at those points; for example, Buck Ait and Handbuck Eyot.^[3]

A surviving eel buck may be seen on the River Test at 51°7′48″N 1°29′5″W / 51.13000°N 1.48472°W / 51.13000; -1.48472 (Eel buck on the River Test).^[4]