Wildlife

European Eel Welfare and Decline

European eels are critically endangered from a combination of barriers to migration, overfishing, parasites, and climate change.

Key Facts

European eel populations have declined over 95% since the 1970s
They must migrate from European rivers to the Sargasso Sea to spawn
River barriers including weirs block migration causing failure to complete the life cycle
Glass eel fisheries and aquaculture add pressure to severely depleted wild stocks

Welfare Considerations

Eels blocked by river barriers cannot complete their migration, causing reproductive failure at population scale while individual eels are unable to express their fundamental biological drive. Eels injured by hydroelectric turbines during downstream migration experience traumatic injury. Parasitic infection from swim bladder nematodes introduced through the aquaculture trade causes physiological compromise and welfare harm.

What You Can Do

Support river barrier removal programs enabling eel migration
Advocate for mandatory eel passes at hydroelectric installations
Avoid purchasing European eel given its critically endangered status
Donate to eel population monitoring and recovery programs