Prevalence of critically endangered European eel (<i>Anguilla anguilla</i>) in Hong Kong supermarkets.

Abstract

European eel (<i>Anguilla anguilla</i>) is a critically endangered species requiring CITES permits for international trade. Despite the fact that no imports to Hong Kong were declared within the last 2 years, our study found that this species is still commonly sold in major supermarket chains across Hong Kong. In a <i>COI</i> barcoding survey of 49 retail vendors encompassing 13 brands, 9 of 13 carried <i>A. anguilla</i>, and 45% of all eel products available at retail outlets (<i>n</i> = 49) were unambiguously identified as <i>A. anguilla</i>. Considering the visual similarity of eel species and disproportionate amount of undeclared <i>A. anguilla</i> available for consumption, this finding raises urgent concerns regarding the enforcement of international CITES trade regulations. Furthermore, the prevalence of <i>A. anguilla</i> in supermarkets highlights how illicit wildlife products are not solely limited to specialized affluent buyers; some species have entered mainstream distribution networks for the average consumer.