Japan, Europe, the United States and Canada are experiencing a sharp decline in eel populations due chiefly to overfishing, pollution and destruction of habitats because of river projects.
In the face of this, the European Union endorsed a proposal in June for a 60 percent cut in the catch of European eel fry by 2013. Its proposal to restrict their export was also approved by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
The EU decision is expected to cause a steep drop in Japan's eel supply. European eel fry are raised on farms in China for export to Japan, where eels are a longtime delicacy.