| Summary: | In the regions where eels are common, they became a priced food species. In Europe, this is particularry the case around the North Sea and the Baltic, in most estuaries and large rivers, and in the coastal lagoons of the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In the countries with high eel consumption, the demand exceeds the catches due to a decrease in the fisheries. Importations started from surrounding countries where eels are more or less consumed and where fishing could sustain the trade. This trend led to look for further away producing countries as well as overseas (America, New Zealand, etc.) in order to compensate the decline in the availability of the european eel, even with exotic species. This led also some eel consuming countries, triggered by the example of Japan, to improve traditional and extensive aquaculture practices (such as in lagoons) and to develop new farming technology. In some Northern European countries mainly, the acute need for eels also resulted in the launching of experimental or commercial plants for intensive eel farming in heated water. The aim of this paper is to describe the availability of European eels, the market demands and the importations necessary to cover the consumption. The trends in these matters does not allow optimism with regard to future availability. In this respect, aquaculture and a good management of the wild eel stocks are the solutions to the demand for this species.
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