By Dan Burden, content specialist, AgMRC, Iowa State University, djburden@iastate.edu.

Revised June 2011.


Although not popular as a food fish in the United States, eels are considered a delicacy in European and Asian countries. Traditionally, fish are harvested from the wild at marketable size, but young eels have recently been captured and cultured to market size. Most eel species have little commercial interest in the United States. However the Census of Aquaculture (2005) reports that three eel farms, one each in Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are in operation. Because most of the world considers eel a gourmet species, they could potentially be a high-value export and gourmet market product.

Distribution and Life Cycle
The Atlantic distribution of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) includes the entire eastern seaboard of the United States, southeastern Canada and the Gulf of Mexico. Eel can be found as far inland as the Great Lakes.

Eels are an catadromous (the opposite of anadromous) species, meaning that they spend their juvenile life in fresh water and migrate to the ocean to spawn. Adult eels move from rivers into the ocean in the fall, traveling to the southwest part of the North Atlantic called the Sargasso Sea. After spawning, the adults die and the eel larvae travel on ocean currents back toward the mainland, feeding and growing along the way. The eel larvae undergo three stages ending with the elver stage. The elvers are migratory, reaching stream mouths in the spring and then traveling up rivers.

Commercial Catches
Current research suggests that commercial catches of the American eel and related species are rapidly declining across the species' North American range, indicating that it is in jeopardy. The bulk of current commercial eel catches in the United States is in central coastal states (80 percent), with less from northern (19 percent) and southern (1 percent) states.

Until recently, American and Canadian eel harvests were about equal. But the Canadian catch has fallen so much that U.S. landings—though declining—now account for 80 percent of the catch.

There is considerable concern about heavy exploitation of all life stages, coinciding with a continent-wide decline in commercial catch. The causes of these declines include the cumulative effects of intensive fishing of this slow-growing, late-maturing fish, but many scientists doubt that fishing pressure alone explains the decline of the eel. Habitat loss through dam construction may be another cause; hydroelectric dams in particular have hindered the migration of eels both upstream and downstream. Other possible causes are pressures from climate change; parasites, such as the blood-feeding worm; and pollution. Because of their long lifespan and high fat content, eels have a high potential to accumulate toxic contaminants.

In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service were asked to consider a petition to have the American eel listed as an endangered species (American Eel Anguilla rostrata). The provincial government of Ontario, Canada, responded by banning commercial eel fishing in Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River and ended the sport fishing of eels across Ontario.

Eel Farms
Eel production of larval fish for stocking programs or adult fish for meat products using aquaculture systems is a well-established industry in the United Kingdom, France, the Scandinavian countries, Morocco, Australia, China, Taiwan and Japan. Currently, the largest single market for farmed eels is the Japanese 'kabayaki' (marinated, grilled eel) market. The Japanese consume more than 99,770 tons of eels per year, but domestic Japanese production is only about 327,210 tons (2001 data). The kabayaki markets prefer eels weighing 0.44 pounds. Despite the high price paid for kabayaki eels, marketing of large eels up to 11 pounds each into alternative markets may be equally if not more economical. (Eel Aquaculture)

Exports/Imports
Since 2001, the United States has exported frozen American eels, primarily to South Korea and Belgium. In 2010, South Korea purchased eels valued at $3.0 million, while Belgium purchased eels valued at $1.7 million. Hong Kong, now the third largest importer of American eels, purchased $1.2 million worth of eels that year. Total U.S. exports of American eels in 2010 were 2,202 metric tons valued at $7.4 million. (U.S. Trade Internet System).

In June 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it was initiating import controls for certain species of farmed seafood from China, including eels. The action was in response to numerous cases of contamination. China is the major supplier of eels to the United States (82 percent of the total). In 2010, United States imported 573 metric tons of eels valued at $5.2 million. 

Outlook
Eel is probably not in demand as a U.S. seafood product due to its “snake-like” persona and a lack of educated consumers. If markets could be developed, however, eels have the potential to become one of the highest-quality, highest-value aquaculture products because the science for raising the fish is well established.

Other Links

• American Eel, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 2006.
• American Eel Anguilla rostrata, John McCord, 2004.
• Anguilla rostrata, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
• Annual Commercial Landing Statistics, Fisheries Statistics, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 2009.
• Aquaculture, Economic Research Service, USDA.
• Aquaculture Certification Council - A nongovernmental body established to certify social, environmental and food safety standards at aquaculture facilities throughout the world. This Missouri nonprofit, nonmember public benefit corporation builds on elements of the voluntary Global Aquaculture Alliance Responsible Aquaculture Program system that combines site inspections and effluent sampling with sanitary controls, therapeutic controls and product traceability.
• Aquaculture in Hawaii, State Aquaculture Development Program, State Department of Agriculture - The Hawaii Aquaculture web page is an information source and guide to getting started in aquaculture in Hawaii.
• Aquaculture Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Fisheries market news and statistic summaries (aquaculture results by catch, available grants, new marine product food safety guidelines, endangered natural stocks, export guidelines for shipments to the European Union, links and addresses of many National Marine Fisheries Support Offices and other information. Site includes information on Department of Commerce Aquaculture Policy, the National Aquaculture Act of 1980, recent NOAA Aquaculture Policy and breaking research and legislative news.
• Aquamedia, Federation of European Aquaculture Producers - An Internet information and resource for aquaculture and fisheries. Contains directories, news, statistics and other related information.
• Aquatic Network - Aquaculture topics, educational information, publications and products and services listing.
• Census of Aquaculture (2005), USDA, 2006.
• Eel Aquaculture, Freshwater Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland, Australia, 2001.
• Facts about the American Eel, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Fishery Products (Domestic Production and International Trade Information), Foreign Ag Service (FAS)online, USDA.
• Global Ag Trade System, FASonline, USDA.
• Imports and Exports of Fishery Products: Annual Summary, Fisheries Statistics Division, NMFS, 2010.
• Mariculture and Aquatic Farming, Alaska Department of Fish and Game - Alaska state mariculture site includes razor clam restoration information, permit information, overviews of state production and related information.
• Permaculture: Aquaculture, Crescent Meadow Systems - Large bibliography of written resources and links from CrescentMeadow.com, a permaculture reference site.
• Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture - The Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture Collaborative Research Support Program (PD/A CRSP) represents an international, multi-disciplinary effort to improve human nutrition through pond aquaculture research. The work of the PD/A CRSP benefits both domestic and international aquaculture.
• World Aquaculture Society - International society of aquaculturalists working to improve education and communication within the industry.

Links checked July 2011.