Eel Welfare in Aquaculture and the Wild: A Neglected Species

European and Japanese eels are critically endangered yet widely farmed, and their welfare needs in aquaculture are poorly understood and largely unaddressed.

Key Facts

European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is Critically Endangered; all farmed stock must be caught from the wild as juveniles
Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) is also Endangered and faces similar pressures in East Asian aquaculture
Eels cannot be bred in captivity at commercial scale, meaning all aquaculture depends on wild-caught glass eels
Eels show avoidance learning and mount stress hormone responses consistent with pain experience
Common slaughter methods including live gutting and salting cause prolonged suffering
Eels are often transported live over long distances in severely overcrowded containers

Welfare Considerations

Eel welfare represents one of the most acute but least addressed problems in aquaculture. The animals are difficult to handle, their behavioral needs are poorly understood, and traditional slaughter methods are among the most inhumane used on any farmed species. Salting and gutting live eels causes prolonged, visible distress. Electrical stunning before slaughter substantially reduces suffering but is not widely implemented. The additional problem of eel conservation — all farming depends on wild-caught juvenile stock — means that improving eel aquaculture welfare must be paired with serious investment in eel population recovery.

What You Can Do

Be aware that all farmed eel originates from wild-caught juveniles, contributing to population decline
Advocate for stunning before slaughter as the minimum welfare standard in eel processing
Support eel conservation organizations working on river habitat restoration and migration barriers
Reduce consumption of eel products, particularly from species listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered