Aquaculture

Eel Aquaculture Welfare

European eel aquaculture relies entirely on wild-caught glass eels due to unsuccessful breeding, creating welfare and conservation challenges.

Key Facts

European eels cannot be bred in captivity and all aquaculture relies on wild glass eels
Glass eel capture for aquaculture reduces wild population recruitment
Eels in aquaculture are held at high densities and experience transport stress
The European eel is critically endangered and aquaculture pressures compound wild population decline

Welfare Considerations

Farmed eels originating from wild glass eel capture experience capture stress, transport mortality, and high-density aquaculture holding. The critical endangerment of European eels means aquaculture demand reduces wild population recovery prospects. Individual welfare harms in aquaculture are compounded by population-level conservation concerns. Sustainable alternatives to European eel aquaculture are urgently needed.

What You Can Do

Avoid purchasing European eel given its critically endangered status
Support river barrier removal programs enabling natural eel migration
Donate to European eel population monitoring and recovery programs
Advocate for restrictions on glass eel capture for aquaculture