The German organization for the eel industry, Initiative zur Förderung des Europäischen Aals e.V. (IFEA), has started an eel fund. The International Eel Stewardship Fund® (ESF) is published by the Eel Stewardship Association (ESA). Germany and the Netherlands are already members having joined this organisation which was founded in 2015. ESF is an international collective trademark.

German fishermen, eel farmers and –traders are working together to restore the eel population in Germany. They contribute to the ESF and therefor to the recovery work of the Sustainable Eel Group (SEG), through their ESA-membership.  SEG is the international organisation of scientists, NGO’s and members of the eel industry, who all work together to accelerate the recovery of the eel and who have created the Sustainable Eel Standard .

In the near future enlargement of the ESF is expected. With the ESF, the European eel industry contributes substantially to the conservation and sustainable management of the eel population in Europe and to scientific knowledge about this mysterious fish.