One Tasmanian family is cashing in on the high global demand for short-finned eels. Only five years ago they were exporting 5 tonnes of eels, and this past year they exported 64 tonnes - demand has all but exploded for these slippery creatures.
They originally were selling mostly to China, but now they have started selling more to countries like Canada and the United States where there are high populations of Chinese, because many of these immigrants like foods that remind them of home.
This family has been in the eel export business for approximately 50 years, spanning three generations. They are able to catch eels in farm dams and lakes across the state. Each expedition to catch eels takes at least two days worth of work. Often times, they camp away and sleep beside rivers, parks, etc. to catch the eels.
Their future plans are to build out a fishery just for the eels and not have to deal with the inconveniences of going to catch the eels all over the state. If these plans are given the green light, they hope to be exporting as much as $10 million worth of eel per year by 2020.
Sources
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-28/relocation-of-tasmanian-eels-aids-growing-export-industry/6269174
Any idea what the impact of these fisheries is going to be? Are the eels under any danger due to dwindling supplies?
ReplyDelete^ Rehan
ReplyDeleteI know just from personal experience at Japanese sushi restaurants that eel prices have grown ridiculously high over the past few years. I have a feeling that supplies are dwindling, which is saddening, and it now is obvious that the increase in price has not discouraged consumers from buying more eel.
ReplyDeleteThey should be exporting squid since it's "the most abundant" in the ocean ;)
ReplyDelete