Aquatic Animals

Farmed Eel Welfare and Declining Populations

European and Japanese eel populations have collapsed by over 90 percent while demand for farmed eel drives intensive aquaculture with significant welfare concerns.

Key Facts

European eel populations have declined by over 90 percent since the 1970s
All farmed eels are caught as wild juveniles since eels cannot reproduce in captivity
Eels in aquaculture are stocked at densities that cause chronic stress and aggression injury
Japan consumes over 70 percent of global eel production primarily as unagi in sushi

Welfare Considerations

Eel aquaculture involves a fundamental welfare paradox: every farmed eel begins as a wild-caught juvenile, meaning farming directly depletes the wild populations we need to recover. Aquaculture conditions with high density cause chronic stress and the aggression injuries visible as healed bite scars on commercially sold eels. The collapse of wild populations combined with welfare concerns in farming makes eel consumption one of the most ethically complex seafood choices.

What You Can Do

Avoid consuming eel products given both wild population collapse and farming welfare concerns
Support strong EU and Japanese eel population recovery programs restricting juvenile harvest
Advocate for eel to be listed as critically endangered under international trade agreements
Encourage sushi restaurants to remove eel from menus while populations recover