Eel too threatened for the table, says WWF

The European eel remains legally available for Easter meals in Denmark, but the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is urging consumers to avoid buying it due to its critically endangered status, reports DR.

At Hvide Sande Smokehouse in western Denmark, co-owner Henrik Olesen has smoked around 1,500 eels this week alone, with demand showing no signs of slowing. “There’s strong demand for eel,” he confirmed, noting that the business would prepare even more on Thursday.

Yet WWF’s marine biologist Thomas Kirk Sørensen argues that ethical considerations should override tradition. “We no longer make piano keys from elephant ivory because the species was nearly wiped out,” he said. “Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s sustainable.”

Eel populations have collapsed since the 1980s, with only a fraction remaining, according to WWF. The species undertakes a 5,000-kilometre migration from the Sargasso Sea, but overfishing and habitat loss have pushed it to the brink. While current regulations allow limited fishing—up to 50 tonnes annually—WWF is calling for a total ban.

“Many struggle to let go of the idea of smoked or fried eel at Easter, but times change, and traditions should too,” Sørensen said, suggesting alternatives like garfish or whiting, which remain abundant. Olesen, however, dismissed the substitutes: “Comparing those fish to eel is a stretch. The taste isn’t the same at all.”

Denmark’s political parties have so far resisted a full ban. A cross-party fisheries agreement last summer maintained the 50-tonne quota, with a review scheduled for 2027 to reassess commercial eel fishing. Until then, WWF’s campaign—including a Facebook post urging consumers to skip eel this Easter—continues to pressure for change.