European eels are critically endangered in the wild while being farmed in large numbers under welfare conditions that raise significant concerns, creating a complex conservation-welfare dilemma.
Farmed eel welfare is deeply entangled with conservation concerns. Unlike most farmed species, eels cannot be bred in captivity - all farmed eels begin as wild-caught juveniles. Removing glass eels from the wild undermines recovery of a critically endangered species. In farming conditions, eels show chronic stress responses at typical stocking densities. Their preference for burrows and low-light environments makes intensive aquaculture systems particularly incompatible with their needs. Reducing eel consumption is both a welfare and conservation imperative.