European eel farming raises acute welfare concerns given the species complex biology, wild capture reliance, and the apparent sensitivity of eels to handling and confinement stress.
Farmed eel welfare is doubly problematic: it depends on wild capture of critically endangered juveniles, and the farming process itself subjects eels to conditions that cause chronic stress. Eels are physiologically sensitive animals that show measurable stress responses to crowding and poor water quality. Their welfare during slaughter — often through chilling or CO2 — is not well established. Consumer demand for eel products drives a system that harms both wild populations and farmed individuals, and the strongest welfare choice is to eliminate eel from diets until sustainable welfare-positive farming is achievable.