European Eel: Ecology, Threats and Conservation Status

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) stock was very abundant in the European waters until approximately over three decades ago when the stock began to decline drastically. Causes of the decline are believed to be a combination of overfishing of the eel in all its continental life stages: Glass eels, yellow eels and silver eels, deterioration of habitat by constructing hydropower plants, drainage of wetlands and pollution as well as climate change and introduced alien species, parasites and diseases. The purpose of this paper is to review the ecology, anti-demographic factors and various conservation efforts geared towards rebuilding the depleted stock.