European Eel: Conservation and Aquaculture Welfare

Key Welfare Facts

The European eel is critically endangered, with wild populations at 5-10% of their 1970s levels.
All farmed eels originate from wild-caught glass eels, linking aquaculture directly to wild population decline.
Glass eel capture and transport involves extreme crowding and mortality during the most sensitive life stage.
High-density recirculating systems cause chronic stress evidenced by elevated cortisol and abnormal behaviour.
Eels are typically killed by immersion in ice water, which is considered inhumane given their high cold tolerance.
Electrical stunning before slaughter offers a more welfare-positive option and is increasingly adopted in Europe.
No successful captive breeding programme exists, meaning all production depends on wild recruitment.

Welfare Assessment

European eel welfare and conservation are inseparable; improving aquaculture welfare while reducing dependence on wild glass eel capture is essential. Electrical stunning at slaughter and reduction of wild glass eel demand represent the most important near-term welfare improvements.

What You Can Do

Reduce consumption of farmed eel given the critical conservation status of wild populations
Support research into European eel captive breeding to enable sustainable aquaculture
Advocate for electrical stunning requirements in all eel processing operations
Report eel glass recruitment data to conservation monitoring programmes