Eels are among the most physiologically and behaviorally complex fish farmed commercially, yet their welfare receives minimal attention in a high-value industry focused on export markets. Improving eel welfare is both urgent and achievable.
Farmed eel welfare is compromised at multiple stages. Glass eel collection removes wild juveniles from already depleted populations, causing capture stress. Intensive rearing at high densities causes chronic crowding stress measurable through elevated cortisol and abnormal behavior. The slaughter of eels by salt application or simple suffocation is particularly poor — eels are extremely robust and can take many minutes to die. Electrical stunning provides effective unconsciousness before killing but is not universally adopted. The combination of conservation and welfare concerns makes eel farming particularly problematic; the dependence on wild-caught glass eels links each farmed eel to population-level harm. Improved stunning standards and reduced stocking densities represent the most impactful welfare improvements within the current system.