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Environmental
group warns of eel decimation A Society for Environmental Education (SEE) spokesperson said one project, a joint Japan-German venture located in Batticaloa, for export of smoked eels to Japan, plans to export a ton of smoke-cured eels per month (12 tons annually) during this year and increase the quantity to 500 tons per year by next year. There is reportedly another venture underway by an individual in Matale, who intends to export live eels to Japan and has plans to export two tons of live eels a month, (500 kgs. a week), the spokesperson said. Both these projects require the export of freshly caught eeels as it is these creatures that fetch the highest prices and are considered a delicacy by Japanese consumers. A kilogram of wild, fresh eel can fetch a price between US$ 119 and $ 312. Japan is the largest consumer of eels accounting for 80% of the world's consumption and is also the largest importer of eels, accounting for 57% of the export trade. The population of the European eel has gone down by 99% since 1978 as a result of which the European Union countries, except Britain, have banned the catching of eels. Permits to catch eels are issued only in Britain and there are moves to stop it totally to prevent the further decline of stocks. This has made the Japanese to look for alternative sources in countries where the catching and export of eels is still not restricted or banned, the SEE spokesperson said. The two projects, if given approval, will require at least 7,000 kilograms (7 tons) of eels per month and as the flesh of the eel comprises 80% water, a large quantity of eels would have to be caught. The second project has not indicated any possible expansion in the following years, but the proposed expansion of the first project alone will mean the export of about 4 to 5 tons of eels (requiring 20 to 25 tons of flesh) a month, which would amount to 240 to 300 tons per year. There are no stock assessments of the eels found in Sri Lanka, hence there is no data to ascertain whether there are enough stocks to sustain the amounts projected for this year, continuously for future years. The market for eels is totally dependent on freshly caught eels, unlike many other species which can be bred and reared in captivity, for the market. |
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