Plentzia, a coastal town near Bilbao, has long relied on eel fishing as a cornerstone of its maritime culture. However, the Basque region has recently imposed a ban on catching the prized delicacy, aiming to safeguard the European eel, which the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies as critically endangered. Despite local regulations, population numbers have plummeted by approximately 95% since the 1980s, driven largely by a sophisticated black market that authorities estimate generates up to €3 billion in peak years.
Local fishermen argue that strict conservation measures disproportionately punish legal operators while criminal syndicates continue to profit from illegal trafficking. Unai Eizaguirre, a fisherman with three decades of experience, criticized the disparity, noting that compliant Basque anglers face income losses while smugglers exploit the high demand in Asia. “It’s ridiculous,” Eizaguirre stated. “So it’s the Basque fishermen who will make the eel extinct when the rest are allowed to fish?”
The crisis is rooted in the eel’s complex life cycle. Adults migrate thousands of kilometers from European rivers to the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic to spawn before dying. Their offspring drift back as transparent “glass eels,” but marine biologist Estibaliz Diaz reports that only about 12% of larvae survive this journey. These young eels are the most valuable commodity in the illegal trade, fetching prices as high as €9,000 per kilogram—a figure comparable to drug trafficking profits.
Although the European Union banned the export of eels outside the bloc in 2010 to reduce pressure on the species, organized crime groups have intensified their operations. Florian Stein, head of policy and science at the German Angling Association, noted that earlier estimates of 100 tons of smuggled glass eels annually were likely “very conservative.” In response, law enforcement agencies such as Europol and Interpol have launched crackdowns, including Operation Lake, which resulted in the seizure of 22 tons of eels and 26 arrests between 2024 and 2025.
Smugglers have adapted by developing complex routes, including a new corridor through North Africa via Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal. The Strait of Gibraltar serves as a key transit point due to its proximity to European eel habitats and its history as a conduit for other illicit goods. Glass eels are often concealed in ordinary suitcases on domestic flights, kept alive in insulated bags with minimal water for up to 48 hours. Once in Asia, they are raised in fish farms to supply high-end restaurants, as captive breeding remains biologically challenging.
Conservationists emphasize that legal bans alone are insufficient. Diaz advocates for structural changes, such as removing hydroelectric dams that block migration routes and kill eels via turbines. She warned that the species may not survive long enough for these projects to yield results. Additionally, the European eel faces pressure from climate change and pollution, while broader protections for all freshwater eel species were rejected at the 2025 CITES conference.
For communities like Plentzia, the eel represents more than an economic asset; it is a cultural icon. Eels serve as vital indicator species for ecosystem health and provide prey for birds and larger fish. Diaz stressed that the ecological consequences of their disappearance are unpredictable. Meanwhile, Stein calls for renewed international lobbying to reinstate global trade protections, arguing that coordinated action is essential to prevent the extinction of a species that has defined European identity for centuries.
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