Michelin-starred chefs call to stop eating eels: ‘Would You Eat a Panda?’
Michelin-starred chefs call to stop eating eels: ‘Would You Eat a Panda?’
Former three-Michelin-starred French chef Olivier Roellinger has urged the gastronomy industry to reconsider its reliance on eels, emphasizing that biodiversity loss cannot be supported by culinary traditions. In a statement to Euronews, he posed a provocative question: “Would you serve a panda on your plate?” This query underscores the urgency of the situation, as scientific assessments reveal the European eel’s population has dwindled by nearly 90% over the last few decades.
Campaign for Eel Conservation
Roellinger, in collaboration with the French environmental group Ethic Ocean, has launched a campaign named “Anguille, non merci” (“Eel, no thank you”). The initiative has garnered backing from hundreds of top chefs, including Thierry Marx and Mauro Colagreco, as well as prestigious restaurant networks like Relais & Châteaux. Similar efforts have also been supported by organizations such as Euro-Toques, highlighting a growing movement across the culinary world.
EU Regulations and Challenges
While the European Union has imposed restrictions on eel exports since 2009, the species remains vulnerable due to its inability to be farmed on a commercial scale. All farmed eels are sourced from wild populations, which have been severely impacted by overfishing. The EU has mandated that member states implement recovery strategies, aiming to let at least 40% of adult eels reach the ocean to reproduce. France, the largest producer of glass eels, plans to keep current fishing quotas until 2027.
Spain, too, has taken a firm stance, with 10 Michelin-starred chefs—such as Andoni Luis Aduriz, Joan Roca, and Yolanda León—advocating for change. Roellinger stressed that when political leaders fail to act, it is up to citizens to step in. “We must take responsibility,” he said, calling for immediate measures to curb the species’ decline.
Illegal Trade and Global Impacts
Despite efforts to regulate eel fishing, illegal activities persist. Europol reports that thousands of glass eels are smuggled annually to East Asia, where massive aquaculture operations thrive. DNA testing in restaurants and shops has uncovered instances of European eels being mixed with American and Japanese eels, which are classified as “Endangered” by the IUCN. The European eel, however, is listed as “Critically Endangered,” placing it in a more dire category.
Roellinger argued that the first step in preserving endangered species is setting minimum size limits to ensure they can reproduce. This approach is critical in reducing the strain on wild stocks, which are already under significant pressure from overfishing, pollution, shifting climate patterns, and human-made barriers in rivers.
CITES Resolution and International Collaboration
At the COP20 meeting of CITES in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the EU and Panama proposed classifying all eel species under the convention to address declining populations. Although the proposal was not fully adopted, a resolution was passed to guide member states. Thea Carroll, head of the Science Unit at CITES, noted that the resolution acknowledges gaps in knowledge, such as identifying different life stages and understanding how management practices affect conservation.
Jessika Roswall, EU Commissioner for Environment, reiterated the need for coordinated international action. “The decline of eel species is well-documented, and we remain committed to protecting them globally,” she stated. The resolution aims to strengthen traceability and enforcement, with further scientific analysis to determine if additional measures are necessary.
