Europe’s eel population has declined by 95% over the past 25 years, prompting the European Environment Agency to call the situation a “crisis”. Although no one is exactly sure why Europe’s eels are disappearing, one theory is that man-made structures such as dams are stopping young eels from reaching freshwater, where they mature. The problem is that hundreds of hydro projects have been planned across Europe, which could make the plight of the eel much worse. A ban on exporting eels out of Europe, which are a delicacy in the Far East, has been proposed. Those making a living from catching eels however are vehemently opposed to such a measure.