Proposal for a
COUNCIL REGULATION
establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European Eel.
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Brussels, 6.10.2005
COM(2005) 472 final
2005/0201 (CNS)
1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
1. 1 Objectives
The objective of the proposal is to achieve a recovery of the stock of European eel to previous historic levels of adult abundance and the recruitment of glass eel.
1.2 Historical elements
European eel are widely distributed throughout European estuarine and inland waters. In their adult phase eel spawn in the western central Atlantic Ocean, with the larval eel recruiting to European estuaries. Management of the European eel stock is a Community-wide issue because the fish form a single stock that is distributed across the European continent.
Scientific advice indicates that the eel stock is highly depleted.
1.3 Existing provisions
Many Member States have adopted a wide range of measures concerning eel management such as minimum landing sizes, closed seasons and areas, licensing of eel fishermen, regulations concerning construction of dams and eel passes. The EU Habitats Directive was established in 1992 and the Water Framework Directive was established in 2000, inter alia, to protect, conserve and enhance the environment where the eel spends the largest part of its life cycle.
