Glasseelmarket.com - Waarddijk 6 A - 1704 PW Heerhugowaard - Netherlands - tel: +31 226 321099 - mob: +31 646 166 670
Glass eels - available November - April
origin:
European glass eels - Anguilla anguilla - are caught in the coastal areas from Italy, the south of Spain and Morocco , in the coastal areas from
the north of Spain, the south west and west of France, the south west of England and Scotland.
quality:
All these regions produce a different quality. The appreciation of the clients results in different prices. Different methods of catching,
transport and storage result in different qualities. But also for every location the first glass eels are caught in water that is much colder as the
last glass eels from that location and therefore of better quality. The last few years the glass eels from England are most appreciated and next
those from the north of Spain and the south of France.
mixing of glass eels:
Frequently we hear about mixing batches of glass eels. Low quality, cheaper glass eels from
Morocco or the mid of France are mixed with a good quality batch to lower the price and to make an
offer more competitive. Even American glass eels are used, if available and cheaper. Although some
people claim it to be normal that a few Anguilla Rostrata swim, together with the Anguilla Anguilla, to
the European coasts, we think that is quite unlikely.
size:
When the glass eels have entered the river and swim upstream and the temperature rises in Spring,
they start feeding because of the increasing quantities of micro organisms. So far all their energy
came from their own bodyweight, so their weight had been decreasing. Therefore the last glass eels
are smaller as the first glass eels, but also the catching location makes a difference. Glass eels from
Spain are usually smaller as glass eels from England.