Over 50 dead moray eels found floating in Corralejo

They appeared floating in the pier’s fish tanks in the northern town of Fuerteventura.

More than 50 dead moray eels were collected on Wednesday from the waters of Corralejo’s pier, and locals say “there were many more.”

Environmental technicians are currently on site, but no cause has been reported yet. Authorities expect an investigation by the island council because such a massive die‑off is “clearly not accidental.” Residents are angry with the state security forces, stating:

“They told us to throw them in the trash, saying they had no personnel in the area.”

Description of the Black Moray Eel

The black moray, also known as the black moray eel, ranges from 40 cm to 1 m in length, though most specimens are under 60 cm. Its skin is viscous, slippery, and very dark—almost black. The species is endemic to the Macaronesian islands.

It lives in cracks or caves on rocky bottoms, essentially any hidden nook that allows it to stay concealed during the day, periodically poking its head out and constantly opening its mouth to breathe. It is a bottom‑dwelling fish found from the shoreline down to depths of about 250 m.

A Precedent in Ibiza

A similar incident occurred in Ibiza in 2018, when more than 50 dead moray eels washed ashore over several days. The deaths were examined by experts. At the time, Toni Box, fisheries inspector for the Consell de Ibiza, explained:

“Since we can’t rule anything out, we’re looking at everything—from contaminants to diseases.”

Samples were sent to a laboratory in Galicia to seek a scientific explanation for the unusually high mortality.

Encephalitis and Viral Retinopathy

Subsequent analysis by the Limia Marine Research and Aquaculture Laboratory (Govern) detected, through molecular biology techniques, the presence of a betanodavirus in the dead moray specimens collected along the Pitius coast that summer. The virus is known to cause viral encephalitis and retinopathy.

While this disease has been identified in many fish species, it had never been reported in moray eels before. Affected fish display typical neurological symptoms—motor incoordination, stupor—and blindness.