European and Japanese eels are farmed globally, yet their welfare needs are poorly understood and rarely prioritised in commercial production. This demands scientific attention and regulatory reform.
Eel farming presents some of the most severe welfare deficits in global aquaculture. Animals with complex sensory systems and migratory drives are kept at extreme densities in barren tanks for years, harvested at sizes far beyond their natural development rate, and killed using methods that cause prolonged suffering. The critical endangerment of wild eel populations means that the aquaculture sector simultaneously threatens wild conservation and perpetuates poor welfare. Meaningful reform requires drastically reduced stocking densities, environmental enrichment in the form of shelter and substrate, mandatory electrical stunning before killing, and urgently developed alternatives to glass eel capture for production. Consumer awareness and choice are important levers; reducing eel consumption from poorly managed sources sends market signals that welfare matters.