Glass Eels 2006/2007

Last year was one of the smallest seasons so far with production for first time less than 100 tonnes. My Guess is 45 tonnes of fish for China and another 30 tonnes for restocking and farming in Europe.   Add another 20 tonnes for the consumption market, giving a total production of 90 tonnes + or - 5 tonnes. Towards the end of the season there were some interesting developments.  At last the authorities are starting to look at illegal catches, and how these are funded.  A large proportion of the dead glass eels, now a by-product of the industry, are undeclared sales and paid for with black money which in turn funds further illegal catches.

One collector was arrested before the end of the season and imprisoned for five months to be released in the summer pending trial. Within months other individuals were arrested, some have been fined for financial irregularities. The fines are less than 7,000 Euros and seem very small for the amount of tax avoidance that was taking place. It would appear that the investigations are ongoing and we wait for developments.
This year the first fish were available early September and from  then on there has been a steady production from Portugal and Southern Spain (Africa?). With the season officially open on the 1st in Northern Spain and the 15th November in France  

Asia

Last year’s production of Anguilla japonica was 120 + tonnes (or in terms of pieces equivalent to 240 tonnes of A. anguilla). In reality looking at the losses incurred during production this is equivalent to more than 300 tonnes of A. anguilla.