Eel substitutes are showing up more frequently in supermarkets against the backdrop of a decline in Japanese eel numbers.
The Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) was given “endangered” status on the IUCN red list of threatened species in 2014. In response, at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that took place in Johannesburg from late September through 5 October, it was agreed to increase monitoring of the species, rather than to add trade restrictions for Japanese eel. However, it seems that the clock is ticking to shift to alternatives.
High prices and a general shortage have added impetus to the movement towards eel alternatives. The average price of live eels at Japanese Customs peaked in June of 2012 at nearly 4,500 yen (USD 42.91, EUR 39.14) before stabilizing at just above JPY 4,000 (USD 38.14, EUR 34.79) in 2013-14. In June 2015, the price was a little under JPY 2,700 (USD 25.75, EUR 23.48), reasonable by comparison with 2012.
However, this year, import prices were up about 30 percent and retailers hiked prices by 100 to 300 yen per serving before the Day of the Ox, when Japanese typically eat eel in the belief that it helps to ward off fatigue during the hot summer. Imports typically surge in July before the event. China is the main source, while Taiwan and Indonesia contribute a minor share.
Substitutes include Pacific saury, which has a similar long shape and is also sometimes eaten with kabayaki sauce. Conger eel (Conger myriaster) is similar in shape but different in texture. In Japanese, the Japanese eel is unagi, while the conger is anago. Another substitute is kindai catfish, a product developed by the same university that pioneered closed-cycle bluefin tuna breeding. The university has claimed the kindai catfish does not have the fishy smell typical of catfish, achieved through a special feeding regimen.
