Development Of A European Eel (Anguilla Anguilla L.) Monitoring Plan In The Oria River Basin (Basque Country)

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The European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) is a very important species in Europe from economical, cultural and social points of view. It has been estimated that around 25.000 people are involved in eel fisheries in Europe. In contrast to other species and in spite of its wide distribution, the exploitation of the European eel is carried out at local scales, frequently in very small river basins and involving very few fishermen. As such, it is difficult to manage this species. The global population of the European eel has been in serious decline for several decades. The most important reasons for this are the overexploitation by fishing and the loss of quality of its continental habitats.