Fishermen’s association criticizes biologist’s call to stop eating eel

By Thomas Bierberg-Christensen, spokesperson for the cultural heritage association “Dansk Ålefiskeri” Dear Sofie Graarup Jensen, Let facts—and not outdated data—determine what is served at the Christmas table It is easy to invoke an emotional precautionary principle in the name of love, but an objective debate about the Danish eel population requires us to consider factual data rather than outdated narratives. Calling for a total boycott of Danish-caught eel is based on a misunderstanding of the current scientific status, the underlying data, and the effect of the extensive management measures implemented in Denmark and Europe over the past two decades. There are three scientific reasons why people can today enjoy Danish-caught eel with a clear conscience: 1. The IUCN classification is based on outdated data. When it is claimed that the eel is “critically endangered”—though it should be noted that it is “not threatened with extinction”—reference is typically made to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. (Editor’s comment: “Critically endangered” is the IUCN’s highest threat category before “extinct in the wild” and is defined by an extremely high risk of extinction.) What many overlook is that the data on which the IUCN bases this assessment are now 8–9 years old. The IUCN’s reassessment cycle is slow, and its assessments therefore do not reflect developments in recent years. Making consumer choices today based on models that are nearly a decade old gives a highly misleading picture of the actual situation in Danish and European watercourses. More measures 2. Extensive measures and a positive population trend. Since the EU eel recovery plan came into force in 2007, along with subsequent national action plans, substantial investments have been made to improve conditions for eels. And the measures have worked: Passage routes: Hundreds of barriers in watercourses have been removed, allowing eels to migrate freely again. Restocking: Extensive restocking of glass eels is carried out annually in Danish lakes and watercourses. Environmental improvements: Water quality in Danish coastal areas and freshwater systems has generally improved significantly. Strict regulation of fishing: Commercial and recreational eel fishing has been subject to historically strict quotas, closed seasons, and minimum size limits. The result of this long-term effort is a positive population trend, with glass eel recruitment and the density of silver eels at several monitoring stations showing stabilization and increases compared with the low points recorded in the 2000s. The precautionary principle must not become an excuse 3. Sustainable Danish management and traceability. Danish eel fishing is among the most regulated in the world. Commercial fishing is heavily restricted and subject to strict controls, while recreational anglers’ catches of eel in freshwater are tightly regulated or completely prohibited during certain periods. When people buy Danish-caught eel from licensed commercial fishers, they support the controlled and sustainable use of a resource in which far more eels are continually restocked than are removed from the system. The conclusion must be that an unclearly defined precautionary principle must not become an excuse for overlooking the genuine scientific results achieved through 15–20 years of management. If we disregard the positive development and the scientifically well-founded measures simply by banning the product, we also remove the incentive to maintain local management, waterway conservation, and the cultural heritage surrounding Danish eel fishing. You can therefore safely—and with a clear scientific conscience—enjoy Danish-caught eel at the Christmas lunch table. Enjoy your meal.