Farmed Eel Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

European and Japanese eels are among the most traded aquatic species globally, yet eel welfare during farming and slaughter is poorly understood and largely unaddressed by welfare science and regulation.

Key Facts

European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is critically endangered — wild capture for farming is a significant conservation and welfare concern
Eels are remarkable migrants, spawning in the Sargasso Sea after lifetimes in freshwater — migration is impossible in farmed conditions
Eels produce high levels of cortisol during handling and crowding, indicating a significant stress response
Slaughter of eels is typically by live skinning, gutting, or immersion in salt — all methods associated with prolonged suffering
Electric stunning before slaughter reduces welfare harms but is not universally adopted in eel processing
High density recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are used for eel farming with limited space for natural behaviour
Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) populations have also declined dramatically — farming demand drives unsustainable wild collection of juveniles
Welfare science for eels is far less developed than for salmon or trout, leaving significant knowledge gaps

Welfare Considerations

Eel welfare occupies a double gap: the species is poorly studied from a welfare perspective, and the conservation status of wild stocks means that even the source of farmed eels raises ethical questions beyond welfare narrowly defined. Slaughter methods for eels are among the least humane in aquaculture — live processing without prior stunning is common and causes prolonged stress responses. The migratory biology of eels means that captivity prevents one of their most fundamental behavioural drives. Welfare improvement in eel production requires investment in humane slaughter research, species-appropriate holding conditions, and the development of captive breeding techniques that eliminate wild juvenile collection.

What You Can Do

Reduce or eliminate consumption of eel products given both welfare and conservation concerns
Avoid unagi and other eel dishes unless sourced from certified sustainable and welfare-conscious producers
Support research into eel welfare science and humane slaughter methods specific to this species
Advocate for wild eel juvenile collection bans as a measure that benefits both conservation and reduces farming pressure