European eel farming relies on wild-caught glass eels and involves conditions that cause significant welfare problems, from extreme crowding during early life to poorly-understood slaughter responses.
Farmed eel welfare is compromised at every stage of production. Wild capture of glass eels removes juveniles from already-depleted populations and subjects them to lethal transport conditions. On farms, extreme crowding causes chronic stress that weakens immunity and promotes disease outbreaks managed with antibiotic treatments. At slaughter, the absence of a validated humane stunning method means most eels likely experience prolonged distress during the killing process. The industry's reliance on wild juveniles also means eel farming intensifies pressure on a Critically Endangered species, combining individual welfare harm with population-level conservation harm. Reform requires both welfare research and a transition away from wild-caught seed stock.