The Documentary Podcast

Billion dollar babies


Listen Later

Eels are a popular food in parts of Asia, but they can’t be commercially bred in captivity. Coupled with trade bans to protect the highly endangered fish, this has led to baby eels becoming one of the most trafficked creatures in the world. BBC Eye and DOCDAYS investigate this global trade from the rivers of the UK to Haiti, Poland and Russia.

We’re in the UK where the last remaining eel trader in the country has a licence to export baby eels to stock a conservation project in Russia. But questions have been raised over whether this is really what’s going on. We visit an investigative journalist in Poland who’s been looking into these exports to Russia and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. With access to a member of an organised crime gang from Hong Kong, we hear how smugglers evade the French authorities to export baby eels to Asia. We also visit the Caribbean where a new and booming demand for glass eels is having a big impact on communities and politics in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
A co-production from DOCDAYS Productions and BBC Eye Investigations.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Documentary PodcastBy BBC World Service

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

1,607 ratings


More shows like The Documentary Podcast

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

376 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

977 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

586 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

357 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

580 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

965 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

410 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

429 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

746 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

841 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

363 Listeners

Today in Focus by The Guardian

Today in Focus

1,015 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

The Missing Cryptoqueen by BBC Sounds

The Missing Cryptoqueen

1,024 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

394 Listeners