European Eel Welfare: Migration, Decline, and Conservation

European eels have one of the most extraordinary life cycles of any fish, migrating thousands of kilometers. Their catastrophic decline and welfare in both wild and farmed contexts deserve urgent attention.

Key Facts

European eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea and larvae drift to Europe on ocean currents — a journey of up to 7,000 km
European eel populations have declined by over 95% since the 1970s, making them critically endangered
Eel aquaculture depends entirely on wild-caught glass eels as no eel has been successfully bred in captivity
Parasitic swim bladder worm introduced through eel stocking has infected most European eel populations
Migration is blocked by dams and other river obstacles — millions of eels cannot reach the sea to spawn

Welfare Considerations

Eel welfare spans their extraordinary life cycle. Wild eels blocked by dams from completing spawning migration cannot fulfill their fundamental biological drive to reproduce. Farmed eels experience the welfare harms of intensive aquaculture — crowding, disease pressure, poor water quality. Wild glass eels caught for stocking face mortality during capture and transport. The swim bladder parasite causes significant impairment to individual eel welfare. Dam removal that restores migration routes addresses multiple welfare harms simultaneously while supporting population recovery.

What You Can Do

Support eel pass construction and dam removal on rivers where eel migration is blocked
Reduce consumption of farmed eel given the conservation status of wild glass eels used for stocking
Advocate for European eel protection through the EU Eel Regulation and its implementation
Follow eel conservation organizations and support their work on habitat restoration
Report eel migration obstructions to river authorities for consideration in habitat management plans