Accelerating the recovery of the European Eel

Trafficking UPDATES

Estimates of the legal and illegal exploitation of European glass eel

 

The full pie represents the annual amount of young eel coming from the ocean into Europe (440t); each segment represents a different destination. Restocking outdoor waters in Europe; Aquaculture within Europe; illegally exported legal catch; illegally exported, illegal or undocumented catch (IUU); The “Free immigrants” represent the proportion that is not caught.
Sources: Bornarel et al 2017 (2015 recruitment estimate: 440 t); SEG-Report-2018-1-V1 (aquaculture, restocking, illegally exported from legal catch); EUROPOL press release (illegal export estimate: 100 t)

CLICK image to download SEG-Report-2018-1-V1

2018

2018-09-04 Nantes. Les civelles content cher aux braconniers ouest-france.fr
2018-07-31 Spanish policeman says smuggled European eels raised in China were then exported to Japan japan times.co.jp
2018-07-31 Smuggled European eels farmed in China to meet Japan’s strong demand mainichi.jp
2018-07-27 Europe’s largest wildlife crime: Illegal trade of the European eel illegalwildlifetrade.net
2018-07-25 Desarticulado un punto de comercio ilegal de anguilas en Isla Mayor dariodesevilla.es
2018-07-19 Big business mit dem Baby-Aal republik.ch
2018-07-04 Saisie à l’aéroport Mohammed V de Casablanca de 78 kg de civelles vivantes h24info.ma
2018-07-04 Douanes: saisie de 78 kg de civelles ecologie.ma
2018-06-27 19 Eel Smugglers Sentenced, But Lucrative Trade Persists news.nationalgeograpic.com
2018-06-26 Greenpeace Japan: Eel sourcing “like a black box” seafoodsource.com
2018-06-22 3.4 tonnes of seized glass eels reintroduced into their natural habitat Europol.europa.eu
2018-06-22 3.4 tonnes of endangered eels rescued from smugglers in European operation inews.co.uk
2018-06-22 EU law enforcement agencies seized nearly 3.4 tonnes of smuggled glass eels last year illicit-trade.com
2018-06-20 ‘Largest detention ever:’ Canadians seize eel meat in 92-country wildlife sting medicineheadnews.com
2018-06-20 Intervienen 2.842 kilos de angulas y detienen a 45 personas en la última campaña contra su pesca ilegal antena3.com
2018-06-20 Saisie de 30 espèces protégées au cours de l’opération « Thunderstorm » douane.gouv.fr
2018-06-20 Wildlife crime: global seizures and arrests in transcontinental operation World Customs Organization
2018-06-20 International crackdown on wildlife crime includes major Vancouver seizure of illegal eel meat shipment straight.com
2018-06-20 Canadian officials seized 18 tonnes of eel meat in 92-country wildlife sting  timescolonist.com,calgaryherald.com,washingtonpost.com
2018-06-15 Final Sentence Handed Down in Maine Eel Trafficking Case seafoodnews.com
2018-06-15 12th Mainer charged in baby eel trafficking sting sentenced to 1 year probation bangordailynews.com
2018-06-01 Le trafic d’anguilles aussi lucratif que le trafic de stupéfiants lidependant.fr
2018-06-01 Le trafic de civelles, nouveau “trafic de stups” francebleu.fr
2018-06-01 Le trafic de civelles, nouveau “trafic de stups” sciencesetavenir.fr
2018-05-31 Tribunal de Bordeaux : deux relaxes et quatre condamnations pour un trafic de civelles francebleu.fr
2018-05-25 Landes : la pibale de retour à la barre sudouest.fr
2018-05-24 Off-book sales shut down Maine’s elver season early thetimesrecord.com
2018-05-23 Maine’s Elver Fishery to Shut Down, Charges Pending for Illegal Sales Department of Marine Resources
2018-05-08 Smuggling European glass eel is getting worse／To China via Morocco／”Final destination is Japan in particular” (欧州シラスウナギ　違法輸出深刻化／モロッコ経由で中国へ／「多くは日本行き」指摘も) Shizuoka Shimbun
2018-05-08 百余吨欧洲鳗苗被走私到中国?最后目的地原是这里 3g.163.com
2018-05-06 欧洲鳗苗走私猖獗 多流入日本市场 zaobao.com.sg
2018-05-06 Smuggling European eel is getting worse／100 tonnes of glass eels to China illegally／”Final destination is Japan in particular”, reaction of Japanese market and industries are attracting the attention
(ヨーロッパウナギの密輸深刻化／中国に違法稚魚100トン／「多くは日本行き」問われる業界対応) Nagasaki Shimbun
2018-05-08 Deux contrebandiers de civelles condamnés à 7 mois de prison sciencesetavenir.fr
2018-05-09 Trafic de civelles : la justice alourdit les peines france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr
2018-05-07 Maine’s “elver kingpin” receives prison time for trafficking ring seafoodsource.com
2018-05-05 Eel smugglers try to give customs the slip thetimes.co.uk
2018-05-04 Sequestrati 500 kg di larve di anguille all’aeroporto di Tessera trevistoday.it
2018-05-03 Trente-trois kilogrammes de civelles saisies à Roissy remises à l’eau à Camon courrier-picard.fr
2018-05-01 ‘Grandfather’ of eel fishing gets 6 months for trafficking in poached baby eels bangordaily.com
2018-05-01 Baby-Aale wegen illegaler Exporte vom Aussterben bedroht Welt
2018-04-30 El tráfico de angulas, más rentable que el de armas Cronica
2018-04-30 El tráfico ilegal de angulas, un mercado regulado Cronica
2018-04-28 Les anguilles du territoire bientôt de retour dans les assiettes ? Courrier picard
2018-04-26 Coup défiler chez les trafiquants de civelles, petits poisson protégés Le Monde
2018-04-22 La mafia China del tráfico de angulas: “Es tan rentable como el narcotráfico” El Confidential
2018-04-22 Men Sentenced In Portland For Roles In Elver Poaching Ring mainepublic.org
2018-04-18 La traque musclée contre les braconniers de bébés anguilles Le Figaro  translation ENG
2018-04-15 Démantèlement d’un réseau de trafic de civelles media-web.fr
2018-04-12 Vendée. Démantèlement d’un réseau de trafic international de civelles  développement-durable.gouv.fr
2018-04-13 Démantèlement d’un réseau de trafic de civelles : le COREPEM et l’OP ESTUAIRES saluent l’action des services de contrôle en région  corepem.fr
2018-04-12 Vendée. Grand Ouest. Démantèlement d’un réseau de trafic international de civelles  presseocean.fr
2018-04-11 Vendée. Les gendarmes démantèlent un trafic de civelles  ouest-france.fr
2018-04-11 Un trafic international de civelles démantelé en Vendée  francebleu.fr
2018-04-09 Europol crackdown on trafficking of endangered European glass eels  greennews.ie
2018-04-09 Eel smuggling ring busted in Spain  seafoodsource.com
2018-04-08 Spain, Portugal take down gang running eels to Asia  Taipei Times
2018-04-07 Four Chinese arrested for smuggling glass eels in Spain-Portugal bust on ‘the biggest wildlife crime in Europe’  South China Morning Post
2018-04-06 Spain, Portugal bust gang smuggling glass eels to Asia Miami Herald
2018-04-06 Spain, Portugal bust gang smuggling glass eels to Asia Chicago Tribune
2018-04-06 400 millones de euros por exportar ilegalmente angulas a China y Japón abc.es
2018-04-06 Detenidos diez miembros de una mafia china que traficaba con angulas cuatro.com
2018-04-06 Desarticulan una red internacional de exportación ilegal de angulas con ramificaciones en Asturias ine.es
2018-04-06 La Guardia Civil desarticula una red criminal de exportación ilegal de angulas hacia mercados asiáticos ecodario.es
2018-04-06 Three Moroccan nationals arrested in Spain for smuggling glass eels to Asia yabiladi.com
2018-04-06 Eel smugglers halted in sting led by Europol  Press Herald
2018-04-06 Spain, Portugal bust gang smuggling eels worth about $490 million  Stars & Stripes
2018-04-06 Spain, Portugal bust gang smuggling eels worth $625 million to Asia  Toronto Star
2018-04-06 Trafficking Threatens Eel Recovery  sustainableelgroup.org
2018-04-06 Un ‘arsenal’ de 500 maletas para traficar con angulas elpais.com
2018-04-06 Baby-Aal-Schmuggler in Spanien festgenommen Handelsblatt.com
2018-04-06 Spain, Portugal bust gang smuggling glass eels to Asia nytimes.com
2018-04-06 Spain, Portugal bust gang smuggling glass eels to Asia washingtonpost.com
2018-04-06 Des Marocains impliqués dans un réseau de trafic d’anguilles avec la Chine huffpostmaghreb.com
2018-04-06 Glass eel traffickers earned more than EUR 37 million from illegal exports to Asia Europol.europa.eu
2018-04-06 Desarticulada una red criminal dedicada a la exportación ilegal de angulas hacia mercados asiáticos guardiacivil.es
2018-03-30 Nantes. Des braconniers de civelles pris les mains dans le tamis ouest-france.fr
2018-03-23 EU Fails to Prevent Illegal Eel Trafficking motherearthnews.com
2018-03-21 32 kg de civelles saisis dans deux valises à l’aéroport Mohammed V medias24.com
2018-03-15 Une tentative de trafic illicite de la civelle interceptée à l’aéroport international de Casablanca Maroc-diplomatique.net
2018-03-15 Aéroport de Casablanca: un trafic de 60 kg de civelle intercepté h24info.ma
2018-03-15 Intervienen artes de pesca caladas ilegalmente para capturar angulas en Ebro lavanguardia.com
2018-03-15 MedioAmbiente.- La Junta libera en el río Guadalfeo alevines de anguilas procedentes de un decomiso europapress.es
2018-03-15 Alijan cuarenta kilos de angulas valorados en 80. 000 euros y escondidas en maletas ideal.es
2018-03-15 Marruecos desbarata en aeropuerto un contrabando inédito de angulas para Asia lavanguardia.com
2018-03-14 Military grade underwater cameras working to end illegal fishing for eels in the Fens gov.uk
2018-03-09 Sustainable Eel Group (SEG): Criminals Trafficked 110 Million Eels to Asia so far this Season www.sustainableeelgroup.org
 2018-03-07 Sucesos.- Intervenidos 18 kilos de angulas vivas preparadas para su exportación a Shangái 20minutos.es
2018-03-07 Angulas al aguardo horsepress.es
2018-02-27 Nove malas de meixão apreendidas no aeroporto de Faro jn.pt
2018-02-24 Operación contrarreloj para salvar 200.000 angulas vivas enviadas a Melilla ocultas en maletas elmundo.es
2018-02-18 Two Malaysian citizens were arrested at the airport in Asturias carrying eel in suitcases elcomercio.es
 2018-02-10 Interceptados más de trescientos kilos de angulas en el Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas guardiacivil.es
2018-02-10 Entregan a Gipuzkoa 310 kilos de angulas incautadas para repoblar los ríos Oiartzun y Oria europapress.es
2018-02-10 Intervienen un kilo de angulas vivas lasprovincias.es
2018-02-10 Dos pasajeros chinos tratan de facturar seis maletas con angulas en Manises ine.es
2018-02-01 Bordeaux : un braconnier de civelles du Médoc condamné à deux mois de prison avec sursis francebleu.fr
2018-02-03 Maine men sentenced to probation, fines for trafficking baby eels bangordailynews.com
2018-01-25 La Guardia Civil interviene 20 kg de angulas vivas en el Aeropuerto de Málaga axarquiaplus.es
2018-01-22 East Asia’s baby eel catch plunges to record low asia-nikkei.com
2018-01-19 Human mules tried to smuggle 317 kg of glass eels from Lisbon to Vietnam theportugalnews.com
2018-01-19 Aéroport de Lisbonne: Sais de 317 kilos de civelle braconnées map ecology.ma
2018-01-18 2 indicted for illegal eel harvesting in Massachusetts, New Jersey waters wmur.com
2018-01-05 Man arrested for trafficking 65 kg of glass eels from Tarifa, Spain to Morocco read police press release and 2 articles

2017

2017-12-18 Italian authorities seized 1 tonne of silver eels near the city of Rovigo on 18 December. Most probably illegally fished in Italian lagoons. rovigoogii.it
2017-12-15 Prison avec sursis et amendes pour trafic de civelles agrisalon.com
2017-12-14 To date, OP Broken Glass has resulted in guilty pleas for 19 individuals whose combined conduct resulted in the illegal trafficking of more than $5.25 million worth of elvers justice.gov
2017-12-15 Two men sentenced in baby eel trafficking scheme bangordailynews.com
2017-12-08 Des braconniers de civelles de nouveau épinglés par la justice jounaldeenvironment.net
2017-12-08 Trafficking makes eel ‘as valuable as cocaine’ inews.co.uk
2017-11-29 List of eel seizures 2013-2017 CITES
2017-11-16  Procès civelles saintes 2017 lepecheurprofessionnel.fr
2017-12-01  La Guardia Civil de Gijón localiza a un cántabro con más de un kilo de angulas y sin licencia eldariomontanes.es
2017-11-30  Mystery of the eel: Europe’s own ivory trade euractiv.com
2017-11-15  Leaders of black market eel ring in Virginia and Maine given prison sentences seafood source.com
2017-11-03  New York businessman gets 1½ years for dealing in black market eels from Virginia The Virginia Pilot
2017-10-05  Overfishing Operation Nets Three Eel Traffickers courthouse news
2017-09-15  Series of eel seizures was conducted in Mainland China last spring Summary on SEG web
2017-09-09  U.S. eel poaching spikes on Asia demand The Japan News
2017-09-05  Siembra de angulas en el Pozo Negro eldiariomontanes.es
2017-09-03  El río Guadalquivir: kilómetro cero del tráfico ilegal de angulas sevilla.abc.es
2017-08-07  Feds clamp down on eel poaching as value grows Sun Journal
2017-08-07  Poached eels: US strikes at illegal harvests as value grows dailymail.co.uk
2017-07-05  Baby eels have changed fortunes for Maine’s fishermen — and brought trouble The Boston Globe
2017-06-27  The Dark Side of the Secret Glass Eel Goldrush britishtimes.co.uk
2017-06-26  Europol estima que el tráfico ilegal de angulas de la UE a China representa un delito de 280 millones de euros mispeces.com
2017-06-26  Another Blow directed to illegal eel trade fis.com
2017-06-24  Slippery gang ran illicit eel trade worth millions pressreader.com
2017-06-24  Golpe al tráfico internacional de angula elcomercio.es
2017-06-23  Slippery Slope for Smugglers euroweeklynews.com
2017-06-23  Europa contra el tráfico de angulas: 4.000 kilos incautados y 48 detenid crackdown elconfidencial.com
2017-06-23  Millions of pounds worth of baby eels seized as smugglers face crackdown inews.co.uk
2017-06-23  Europa cerca el tráfico de angulas: 4 toneladas incautadas y 48 detenidos larazon.es
2017-06-23 El SEPRONA lidera una operación internacional contra el tráfico ilegal de angulas cuatro.com
2017-06-23 EU Law Enforcement step up efforts to protect the environment – 48 arrested for trafficking endangered species europol.europa.eu
2017-06-09  BFAR eyes stricter measures to regulate eel trade manilatimes.net
2017-06-08  Loire-Atlantique: deux trafiquants de civelles arrêtes Avec 175000 euros en liquide leparisien.fr
2017-06-08  Demand for the mysterious ‘glass eel’ has turned into a risky, big-money business briefnews.eu 
2017-06-07  Inside the Multimillion-Dollar World of Eel Trafficking nationalgeographic.com
2017-05-31  Charente : un Photomaton à poissons migrateurs sudouest.fr
2017-05-29  Calvados : un pêcheur jugé pour ne pas avoir déclaré la pêche de petites anguilles lamanchelibre.fr
2017-05-27  Maine’s latest fishing frenzy brings in $1,200 a pound — and it’s not lobster LA Times
2017-05-23  How Maine came to play a central role in an international eel smuggling scheme bangordailynews.com
2017-05-12  Philippines workshop promotes co-operation between enforcement authorities against illegal eel trade TRAFFIC
2017-05-09  Feds Bust Eel-Smugglers in Maine The Maritime Executive
2017-05-06  Le braconnage des civelles s’intensifie, la lutte contre les braconniers aussi sudouest.fr
2017-04-27  Two Chinese women at Bilbao Airport stopped with 40kg of glass eels destined for Shanghai cadenaser.com
2017-04-21  I joined the wildlife police to safe baby eels from poachers The Scientist
2017-04-19  Walboro Man Pleads Guilty To Illegal Trafficking American Eels The Lincoln County News
2017-04-18  Douane Schiphol vindt 72 Kilo babypaling Telegraph.nl
2017-04-18  River patrols aim to hook eel smugglers The Times
2017-04-17  72 kilogram glass eels seized at Schiphol Airport, NL nvwa.nl; SEG post (ENG)
2017-04-17  Fisherman Pleads Guilty in Eel Trafficking Case eponline.com
2017-04-16  Las Tramas del cristal negro: el tráfico de angulas se sofistica eldiario.es; SEG post (ENG)
2017-04-16  Why are international crime syndicates smuggling River Severn elvers to Korea and China? gloustershirelive.co.uk
2017-04-12  Illegal elvers worth more than caviar on black market BBC
2017-04-12  video report on trafficking in European eels BBC
2017-04-08  Officials cracking down on poaching of a slippery, squiggly and valuable commodity — baby eels Washington Post
2017-04-05  Brooklyn Seafood Dealer Pleads Guilty for Illegally Trafficking American Eels US Department of Justice
2017-03-30  Two men indicted in Maine for illegally trafficking American eels military-technologies.net
2017-03-21  Hiromi Shiraishi (TRAFFIC) about eel trafficking from a Japanese conservation perspective WWF Japan
2017-03-18  Accelerated restocking of eels ouest-france.fr
2017-03-16  Feds accuse Maine man of trafficking in poached baby eels wgme.com
2017-03-14  Elver dealer indicted on charges of buying, selling illegally caught eels eelsworthamerican.com
2017-03-12  The slippery world of eel smuggling, Europe’s illegal and booming trade The Telegraph; SEG post
2017-03-10  Man arrested for poaching glass eel at Canal de la Martinière in Pellerin ouest-france.fr
2017-03-08  EUROPOL and GUARDIA CIVIL estimate that >7t of glass eels were annually traded from Spain towards Asia Guardia Civil
2017-03-08  Seventeen arrested for smuggling glass eels worth EUR 7 million from Europe to China Guardia Civil (ENG); Guardia Civil (SPA)
2017-03-08  Smuggling of glass eels valued at EUR 10 million: 17 arrests EUROJUST
2017-03-08  Seventeen arrested for smuggling glass eels worth EUR 10 million EUROPOL
2017-03-08 -Newspaper article reveals details on smuggling route elpais.com
2017-03-08 -Trafficking route from Spain via Italy and Greece to Hong Kong SEG post
2017-03-08  Dismantlement of an international organization devoted to the illegal trade in elvers/ baby eels SEG post
2017-03-08 – Report about police operation ABAIA rtve.es. Watch VIDEO
2017-03-03  Man caught with 600,000 live glass eels worth £1.2 Million on 15 February The Guardian; Evening Standard; The SUN
2017-03-03  Release of the Heathrow-seized eels in Guadalquivir river, Spain Watch VIDEO
2017-03-03  UK Boarder Force’s role in Operation ‘Thunderbird’ homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk
2017-02-15  French authorities checked 50 fishermen and 7 collectors on 10 and 14 February  charente-maritime.gouv.fr
2017-02-08  People are accused for glass eel poaching in France sudouest.fr
2017-02-07  British citizen plead guilty and fined to pay 675 pounds for illegally fishing for glass eels gov.uk
2017-02-07  Greek authorities arrested several people including a major trader in Greece SEG post (ENG)
2017-02-06  French customs seized 140kg at Paris airport, destinated for Thailand (transit?) courrier-picard.fr
2017-02-06  Spanish citizen were accused for illegal fishing of glass eels in the Guadalquivir river, Andalusia europapress.es; sevilla.abc.es
2017-02-05  45kg glass eels worth 18.650EUR were seized in Portugal campeaoprovincias.pt
2017-02-04  Spanish Guardia Civil arrested several people including a major trader in Cataluna and seized huge amounts of glass eels aguaita.at; lavanguardia.com
2017-01-18  520kg were seized by douanier de Gironde. A Spanish citizen was caught with 520kg in Saugnacq-et-Muret, destinated for Thailand (transit?) 20minutes.fr
2017-01-17  Japanese video report about glass eel trafficking from Taiwan via Kinmen to Hong Kong NHK World

2016

2016-11-28  Three Additional Men Plead Guilty for Illegally Harvesting and Selling American Eels US Department of Justice
2016-10-06  Seven men plead guilty for illegal harvesting and selling American eels  US Department of Justice 
2016-05-21  Summary of the previous operation ‘Black Glass’ carried out in 2016 Guardia Civil
2016-06-02  Loire-Atlantique: démantèlement d’un trafic international de civelles Le Parisien
2016-05-21  Summary of the previous operation ‘Black Glass’ carried out in 2016 Guardia Civil

2012

2012-03-04  Summary of the previous operation ‘Suculenta’ carried out in 2012 Guardia Civil



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