Wild Eel Population Decline and Welfare

European eels are critically endangered after a population collapse of over 95% since the 1970s, and individual eels face welfare challenges from barriers to migration, disease, and commercial fishing.

Key Facts

European eel populations have declined by over 95% since the 1970s
Eels have a remarkable life cycle spanning thousands of kilometres from European rivers to the Sargasso Sea for spawning
River barriers including weirs and pumping stations trap eels and prevent migration
Eel parasite Anguillicola crassus introduced from Asia has spread widely and affects swim bladder function
Commercial eel fishing with fyke nets causes bycatch mortality of otters and other species

Welfare Considerations

Individual eels face welfare challenges throughout their extraordinary life cycle. Young eels attempting to pass river barriers experience exhaustion and injury. Eels infected with swim bladder parasites have impaired ability to regulate buoyancy and may experience chronic discomfort. Eels caught in commercial fyke nets die from suffocation. The collapse of eel populations represents one of the most dramatic declines of any European vertebrate, and restoring conditions for eel welfare and population recovery requires urgent action across the entire migratory range from Europe to the Atlantic.

What You Can Do

Support river restoration organisations working on eel passage improvements
Advocate for eel passes to be mandatory on all river barriers
Support the campaign for otter guards to be required on all fyke nets
Reduce or eliminate consumption of wild eel given the critical conservation status
Report eel sightings to help population monitoring programmes