European and Japanese eels are farmed and consumed at large scale despite their complex migratory life history and welfare needs that are poorly understood and rarely addressed.
Eel welfare in aquaculture is compromised by both the sourcing of wild glass eels and conditions in production systems. Glass eel fishing removes wild juveniles from already depleted populations, undermining conservation. In culture, eels are kept at densities that cause chronic stress, tail biting, and injury. Their complex migratory instincts are frustrated in contained systems. Slaughter is technically difficult — eels are extremely slippery and muscular, making electrical stunning challenging. The conservation and welfare case against eel consumption and farming is strong; the EU and UK have imposed increasing restrictions on glass eel fishing that address both concerns simultaneously.