Alex Koelwijn has 30 years experience of working with eels. He is the Chairman of DUPAN which could be translated  as  " The Sustainable Eel Sector Netherlands " with 380 members.  This body has placed the long term welfare of the eel above the short term economic ones. He believes that if the eel was cute and cuddly everyone would understand and support the eel where as now only those with an economic involvement invest in its future.
DUPAN embraces three other leading Dutch associations concerned with the future of the eel.  Combinatie van Beroepsvisser (CvB) " Combination of hand craft-fishermen "  which has over 200 members in the Netherlands,  Nederlandse Vereniging van Viskwekers (NEVEVI) " Dutch Association of Fish farmers has 25 members (17 on eel) in the Netherlands Nederlandse Vereniging van Palinghandelaren (NeVePaling) " Dutch Assosiation of Eel traders) has 20 members in the Netherlands. 

John van Dooren (The Netherlands, 1967) over 15 years working as area manager Aquaculture for Skretting in The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Africa (Sub Sahara) and Asia. Specialized in eel farming and eel feed. Owner of Passie voor Vis an eel farm in the South of The Netherlands, besides farming eel for human consumption, producing fingerlings for re stocking and cooperation in projects for eel reproduction.