The European eel has declined by over 95% since the 1970s and is now Critically Endangered. Its complex lifecycle spanning freshwater and ocean makes conservation uniquely challenging.
Eels attempting to migrate downstream encounter turbine blades at hydroelectric facilities — causing injury and death at a scale that has only recently been quantified. Passage mortality through turbines can exceed 50% at poorly designed installations. Bypass channels and fish passes that are specifically designed for eels (as opposed to salmon) substantially reduce this welfare impact. A species on the edge of extinction requires urgent intervention at every life stage.