The European eel (Eel eelThe eel is critically endangered, and the Spanish government, pressured by some chefs, scientists, and the public, wants to stop the capture of both the eel and its juvenile, the elver, which is highly prized and sought after in gastronomy. Last autumn, the Basque Country banned its fishing, while neighboring regions, such as Asturias, continue to catch them despite complaints from the Basque fishing sector. In Spain, scientists like Arnau Subías, who runs the Instagram account @Gastrobio, have been warning about the situation for years, and points out that fishing has been prohibited in Andalusia since 2010. "Finally, there seems to be more awareness, but action should have been taken a long time ago by prohibiting fishing and regulating pollution in reservoirs," he says.