Japanese Eel Added to Endangered Species 'Red List'

A Japanese eel, which is a popular summertime delicacy enjoyed by locals, has been added to the international "red list" of endangered species.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) gave the designation on Thursday, citing "loss of habitat, overfishing, barriers to migration, pollution and changes to oceanic currents," according to their website.

The IUCN said that the move could mean a ban on the international trade of the animal.

Rich with vitamins and minerals, many believe that the eels help them stay in good health and maintain skin complexion. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan's minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, told reporters Thursday he has little choice but to allow fishermen to keep catching baby eels for the time being.

However, the Japanese government has been aware of the shrinking eel population for some time and has already taken some steps, allowing only licensed fisherman to catch baby eels.

"This is no small achievement but so much more needs to be done," said IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre. "We need to continue to expand our knowledge about the world's species to better understand the challenges we face, set global conservation priorities and mobilize concrete action to halt the biodiversity crisis."

As to be expected, not everyone is happy about the new ruling. According to The Times of India, in recent years eel traders have become dependent on importing the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) from countries such as South Korea and China, especially during spawning stage, due to its significant local population decline.

"If the import and export of the young eel is regulated even more, we could be forced to shut down," a trader said.

Japan buys 70 percent of the eels captured in the world in order to meet the nation's high demand for the delicacy.

This overexploitation has caused the annual catch of young eels in Japanese waters to fall drastically in the last few years.

Since the addition of the Japanese eel, The IUCN Red List now includes 73,686 assessed species, of which 22,103 are threatened with extinction, its website writes.