Press Release: Eels: Commission proposes seasonal closure of eel fishing until approval of national protection plans

The European Commission on 6 October 2005 presented a proposal as a first step towards the recovery of the European eel stock which was highly depleted. Under this proposal, Member States would set up national plans to ensure that 40% of the level of adult eels which, in the absence of fishing and other effects from human activities, would migrate from the rivers on their territories, escape to the sea to spawn. The Commission held that these plans, to be in place by July 2007, were crucial to restoring the stock, as the recent levels of young fish joining the stock had been as low as 1% of their historic levels.