2000 kg of glass eels diminished. Initially, smaller capacity trucks were used, but more and more glass eels were transported dry by air as orders decreased in size from Europe. The concept of transporting dry by air is not new. A combination of better preparation, better packaging and more appropriate handling, and the sponsoring of a small research project to learn more about the physiology of the glass eel, improved transport results dramatically.
By the late 1980s France had emerged as a major competitor in the market place in Europe, supplying glass eels much earlier in the year before there was any possibility of catching English fish. To lose substantial market share to the French suppliers was a very serious situation that was not going to be tenable for long. However, just as the prospects for the European market started to deteriorate, new customers appeared in China. It had been more than 25 years since we had last shipped any eels to Asia. We were fortunate in having the infrastructure and experience to supply this market.
As in the 1970s there was a flood of newcomers into the market, prices escalated to levels beyond all expectations. With the lateness of the UK season and the increasing demand for early glass eels in Europe and Asia, there was now not much of a market for English glass eels. So we addressed the changing
