ANIMAL WELFARE ASPECTS OF HUSBANDRY SYSTEMS FOR FARMED EUROPEAN EEL Prepared by Working Group on Eel Welfare

The scientific report on the animal welfare aspects of husbandry systems for farmed European eel constitutes the background document to the opinion adopted by the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare on the 12th of September 2008. Eel is a significant cultured species in Europe. The juvenile stock is obtained by capture from the wild as there is no closed cycle of production. Although it is a cultured species albeit captured from the wild, the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is also listed as an endangered species and is subject to EU Council Regulation EC No 1100/2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock in view of protection and sustainable exploitation of this species. Another specific feature of eel production is that it is the only fish species that is caught in large quantities at the larval stage (glass eels) before they can make any contribution to the reproduction of the species. In addition, the existence of a human consumption market for (dead) glass eels does not favour good welfare practices as dead and animals in poor condition can still have a high market value. The various life stages of eel that were considered are: glass eels and juveniles, on-growers, and marketable fish. A review of environmental conditions and factors that were identified as possibly affecting the welfare of European eel at those different life stages has been conducted. These factors are grouped as: abiotic environmental conditions, biotic factors (including behavioural interactions), food and feeding, husbandry and management, genetics, and the impact of disease and disease control measures. It is however important to realise that the environmental conditions are always defined by a range of inter-related factors. While each specific variable is described separately, there are very few occasions in reality where only a single factor is involved in any fish welfare issue relating to environmental conditions. For this reason, only ranges of acceptable levels for the various factors can be given and always these must be considered in the context of the other variables involved. There are various methods for the capture of glass eels for farming purposes which have varying levels of welfare concern for the subsequent maintenance of the stocks in the farm. Currently, in Europe, extensive culture systems have been almost entirely replaced by the high technology high density intensive systems. There is very little scientific literature that specifically addresses the welfare of eel under farming conditions. However, it was possible to overcome such a paucity by extrapolating from existing peer reviewed publications, and using expert opinion, in a risk assessment approach.