Species FAO code: ELE

Anguilla anguilla

This species is endangered. To ensure its protection and conservation, specific rules apply to its trade and marketing in the European Union (Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora).

Page contents

Commercial designations
Production methods and fishing gears
EU quality schemes and nutrition values
Conservation measures
Marketing standards
Species distribution and habitat
Species description
Combined Nomenclature

Commercial designations

Country	Commercial designations	Names accepted or permitted locally or regionally
Austria	de Aal de Europäischer Aal de Flussaal	–
Belgium	fr Anguille nl Paling nl Aal	–
Bulgaria	bg Европейска речна змиорка	–
Croatia	hr jegulja	–
Cyprus	el χέλι	–
Czech Republic	cs Úhoř evropský cs Úhoř říční	–
Denmark	da Ål da almindelig ål da europæisk ål da blankål da gulål	–
Estonia	et Angerjas et euroopa angerjas	–
Finland	fi ankerias sv ål	–
France	fr anguille d'Europe fr anguille fr civelle (juveniles) fr anguille	–
Germany	de Europäischer Aal de Flussaal de Aal	–
Greece	el Χέλι	–
Hungary	hu angolna	–
Ireland	en European eel en Eel ga Eascann	–
Italy	it Anguilla	–
Latvia	lv Zutis	–
Lithuania	lt europinis upinis ungurys	–
Luxembourg	de Aal de Europäischer Aal de Flussaal fr anguille d'Europe fr anguille	–
Malta	en European eel it Anguilla mt Sallura	–
Netherlands	nl Paling nl Aal	–
Poland	pl Węgorz	–
Portugal	pt Enguia pt Eiró pt Enguia-europeia	–
Slovakia	sk úhor európsky	–
Slovenia	sl jegulja	–
Spain	es Anguila	Asturias: Angula Galicia: Anguía Basque Country: Angira Basque Country: Angula
Sweden	sv Ål	–

Main production methods

Caught
Farmed

Main fishing gears

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recognized designations

protected geographical indication (PGI)

Belgium

Escavèche de Chimay
protected geographical indication (PGI)

United Kingdom

Lough Neagh Eel

Source: eAmbrosia - the EU geographical indications register (eAmbrosia)

Minimum conservation reference sizes

As defined in art. 8 of Regulation (EU) 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015, which admends article 47 of Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013, where minimum conservation reference sizes are established, they shall constitute minimum marketing sizes. More

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 35.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

27.3.b.23 Sound
27.3.c.22 Belt Sea
27.3.d.24 Baltic West of Bornholm (Subdivision 24)
27.3.d.25 Southern Central Baltic - West (Subdivision 25)
27.3.d.26 Southern Central Baltic - East (Subdivision 26)
27.3.d.27 West of Gotland (Subdivision 27)
27.3.d.28 East of Gotland or Gulf of Riga (Subdivision 28)
27.3.d.29 Archipelago Sea (Subdivision 29)
27.3.d.30 Bothnian Sea (Subdivision 30)
27.3.d.31 Bothnian Bay (Subdivision 31)
27.3.d.32 Gulf of Finland (Subdivision 32)

Habitat

Saltwater
Freshwater
Brackish water

FAO major fishing areas

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758)

Distribution maps

Source: Aquamaps - Computer Generated Native Distribution Map for Anguilla anguilla

Source: FAO - FAO aquatic species distribution map of Anguilla anguilla

Scientific name

Anguilla anguilla

Author

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Rank

Species

FAO code

ELE

Morphological description

Elongated, anguilliform body (Ref. 51442), cylindrical anteriorly, somewhat compressed posteriorly (Ref. 6125). Lower jaw slightly longer and projecting (Ref. 6125, Ref. 51442). Gill openings small and vertical, restricted to the sides (Ref. 6125). Elongated dorsal and anal fins, confluent with caudal fin (Ref. 6125, Ref. 51442), forming one unique fin from the anus to the middle of the back with minimum 500 soft rays (Ref. 40476). Dorsal fin origin far behind pectoral fins; anal fin origin slightly behind anus, well back from origin of dorsal fin (Ref. 6125). Pelvic fins absent (Ref. 2196, Ref. 51442). Greenbrown colored (Ref. 51442).

Taxonomic classification

ClassActinopterygii
- OrderAnguilliformes
  - FamilyAnguillidae
    - GenusAnguilla
      - SpeciesAnguilla anguilla

Synonyms

Anguilla nilotica Kaup, 1857
Leptocephalus brevirostris Kaup, 1856
Anguilla vulgaris platyura De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla eurystoma Heckel & Kner, 1858
Anguilla callensis Guichenot, 1850
Anguilla kieneri Kaup, 1856
Anguilla anguilla var. ornithorhyncha De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla capitone Kaup, 1856
Anguilla savignyi Kaup, 1856
Anguilla marina (Nardo, 1847)
Anguilla vulgaris macrocephala De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla vulgaris fluviatilis Rafinesque, 1810
Anguilla platyrhynchus Costa, 1850
Muraena platyrhina Ekström, 1831
Anguilla melanochir Kaup, 1856
Anguilla bibroni Kaup, 1856
Muraena anguilla Linnaeus, 1758
Anguilla linnei Malm, 1877
Anguilla anguillia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Anguilla latirostris Risso, 1827
Anguilla mediorostris Risso, 1827
Anguilla fluviatilis Heckel & Kner, 1858
Anguilla altirostris Kaup, 1856
Muraena anguilla marina Nardo, 1847
Anguilla vulgaris Shaw, 1803
Muraena oxyrhina Ekström, 1831
Anguilla migratoria Krøyer, 1846
Anguilla var. oxycephala De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla vulgaris ornithorhincha De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla vulgaris lacustus Rafinesque, 1810
Anguilla morena Kaup, 1856
Anguilla aegyptiaca Kaup, 1856
Anguilla anguilla var. mucrocephala De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla cuvieri Kaup, 1856
Anguilla anguilla var. macrocephala De la Pylaie, 1835
Angill angill (Linnaeus, 1758)
Anguilla acutirostris Risso, 1827
Anguilla marginata Kaup, 1856
Anguilla canariensis Valenciennes, 1843
Anguilla brevirostris Cisternas, 1877
Anguilla var. platyura De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla nilotica Heckel, 1846
Anguilla vulgaris Rafinesque, 1810
Anguilla hibernica Couch, 1865
Anguilla oblongirostris Blanchard, 1866
Anguilla fluviatilis Anslijn, 1828
Anguilla vulgaris marina Rafinesque, 1810
Anguilla microptera Kaup, 1856
Anguilla platycephala Kaup, 1856
Anguilla septembrina Bonaparte, 1846
Anguilla ancidda Kaup, 1856
Anguilla var. ornithorincha De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla cloacina Bonaparte, 1846
Muraena anguilla maculata Chiereghini, 1872
Anguilla anguillai (Linnaeus, 1758)
Anguilla anguilla oxycephala De la Pylaie, 1835
Anguilla fluviatilis Gistel, 1848

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758)

An annually revised goods classification scheme used in EU for the purposes of customs duty and foreign trade statistics. The scheme is based on the Harmonized System nomenclature, further extended with Community subdivisions. Each subdivision is identified by an eight-digit numerical code. Read more: Combined Nomenclature

03 — CHAPTER 3 - FISH AND CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES
- 0301 — Live fish
  - Other live fish
    - 0301 92 — Eels (Anguilla spp.)
      - 0301 92 10 — Of a length of less than 12 cm
      - 0301 92 30 — Of a length of 12 cm or more but less than 20 cm
      - 0301 92 90 — Of a length of 20 cm or more
- 0302 — Fish, fresh or chilled, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.), excluding livers and roes
    - 0302 74 00 — Eels (Anguilla spp.)
- 0303 — Fish, frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.), excluding livers and roes
    - 0303 26 00 — Eels (Anguilla spp.)
- 0304 — Fish fillets and other fish meat (whether or not minced), fresh, chilled or frozen
  - Fresh or chilled fillets of tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)
    - 0304 39 00 — Other
  - Other, fresh or chilled
    - 0304 51 00 — Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)
  - Frozen fillets of tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)
    - 0304 69 00 — Other
  - Other, frozen
    - 0304 93 — Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)
      - 0304 93 10 — Surimi
      - 0304 93 90 — Other
- 0305 — Fish, dried, salted or in brine; smoked fish, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process; flours, meals and pellets of fish, fit for human consumption
  - Fish fillets, dried, salted or in brine, but not smoked
    - 0305 31 00 — Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)
  - Smoked fish, including fillets, other than edible fish offal
    - 0305 44 — Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)
      - 0305 44 10 — Eels (Anguilla spp.)
  - Fish, salted but not dried or smoked and fish in brine, other than edible fish offal
    - 0305 64 00 — Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)

Share this page

Select your language

Anguilla anguilla

Commercial designations

Main production methods

Main fishing gears

Gillnets and similar nets

Hooks and lines

Pots and traps

Seines

Trawls

Recognized designations

protected geographical indication (PGI)

protected geographical indication (PGI)

Minimum conservation reference sizes

Habitat

FAO major fishing areas

Area 1 - Africa - Inland waters

Area 27 - Atlantic, Northeast

Area 31 - Atlantic, Western Central

Area 34 - Atlantic, Eastern Central

Area 37 - Mediterranean and Black Sea

Area 4 - Asia - Inland waters

Area 5 - Europe - Inland waters

Distribution maps