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Japanese Eel

Anguilla japonica

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), a long snake-like migratory fish.

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica).

Image: opencage, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EN · Endangered
Animal group
Fish
Population trend
Decreasing
Last verified

Conservation overview

The Japanese eel is a migratory fish central to East Asian cuisine, with a life cycle spanning the open Pacific and Asia's rivers. It is assessed as Endangered.

Wild populations have declined sharply.

Range & habitat

Rivers and coasts of East Asia, spawning far out in the western Pacific.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Overfishing of young eels
  • Barriers such as dams
  • Habitat loss and ocean change

Why it matters

A culturally and commercially important eel now in decline, the Japanese eel links the health of the open ocean, rivers, and fisheries across East Asia.

Gallery

A historical illustration of the Japanese eel.

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica); a historical illustration (1856).

Image: Brevoort, James Carson, 1818-1887, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Japanese Eel

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the Japanese eel breed?
It spawns far out in the western Pacific near the Mariana Islands; the tiny larvae drift to East Asia, grow in rivers and coasts, then return to the ocean to breed.
Why is the Japanese eel Endangered?
Published assessments cite overfishing of young eels, barriers such as dams, and habitat loss and ocean change. See the IUCN Red List.

Last updated: