Farmed Eel Welfare Challenges | Animal Welfare Hub

Eels are farmed on a significant scale in Asia and Europe, but their welfare in aquaculture settings raises concerns due to their complex biology and the conditions typical of commercial eel farming.

Key Facts

European eels (Anguilla anguilla) are critically endangered and farmed primarily from wild-caught glass eels
Japanese eels are similarly endangered but farmed extensively in Japan using wild-caught juveniles
Eel farming typically uses intensive recirculating systems with high stocking densities
Eels are known to feel pain - research confirms they have nociceptors and show avoidance responses to noxious stimuli
High stocking densities in eel farming cause aggression, skin damage from biting, and stress
Slaughter methods for eels including stunning in salt or cold are considered welfare-poor by aquatic welfare scientists
European eel population collapse means eel farming is also a conservation concern beyond welfare
Electrical stunning before slaughter is more humane than common alternatives but not universally adopted

Welfare Considerations

Eel farming presents a compound welfare and conservation problem. The welfare of farmed eels is compromised by high stocking densities that cause aggression and skin damage, and by slaughter methods that cause significant suffering. Additionally, European and Japanese eel populations are critically endangered, meaning eel farming relies on wild-caught juveniles, potentially accelerating wild population decline. A welfare-conscious approach to eel consumption recognizes both the individual welfare problems of farmed eels and the broader conservation context. The most welfare-positive choice for eel consumption is reduction or elimination, given the combination of welfare problems and conservation concern that makes sustainable eel aquaculture extremely difficult to achieve.

What You Can Do

Consider reducing or eliminating eel consumption given both welfare and conservation concerns
If consuming eel, seek products from producers with documented welfare standards including humane slaughter
Advocate for welfare requirements in eel farming certification including stocking density limits
Support research into closed-cycle eel breeding that would eliminate dependence on wild-caught juveniles
Learn about European and Japanese eel conservation status when evaluating eel products