Photo/Illutration A grilled domestic eel box served in Narita, Chiba Prefecture (Nobufumi Yamada)

Japanese officials are hailing the rejection of a proposal by the European Union and other countries to regulate the trade in eel species, including the Japanese eel, which could have hurt imports and raised prices. 

A committee of the conference of the parties to The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)--also known as the Washington Convention, which regulates international trade in endangered species--overwhelmingly rejected the proposal on Nov. 27 in Uzbekistan.

Of the 135 countries and regions that voted, 35 were in favor and 100 were against, falling well short of the two-thirds majority required for adoption.

A formal decision will be made at the plenary session on Dec. 5. However, in the past, there have been cases where the initial vote was overturned through objections and a second vote.

The Japanese government has opposed the proposed regulation, asserting that the resource management of Japanese eel is thorough and that the supply is sufficiently secured.

It has also held briefing sessions for embassies located in Japan to seek understanding.

“This is not yet final, and we will continue to respond thoroughly with a sense of urgency,” fisheries minister Norikazu Suzuki told reporters on Nov. 27 following the vote. “It is extremely gratifying that we were able to prevent something from going wrong with eel food culture due to a proposal lacking a scientific basis.”

According to Japan’s Fisheries Agency, about 70 percent of the eels supplied domestically are imported, with more than 90 percent of those imports coming from China.

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