ðə kəmˈɜːʃəl fˈɪʃɪŋ ʌv lˈɔŋfɪn ˈiːlz bɪɡˈæn tə ɡˈeɪn moʊmˈɛntəm ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti z, ænd baɪ ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti z ðɛɹwˌʌz ɐ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd tˈʌn jˈɪɹli kˈætʃ.
The commercial fishing of longfin eels began to gain momentum in the 1960s, and by the 1970s there was a 2000 tonne yearly catch.