European eel
The status of eel remains critical and urgent action is needed. ICES reiterates its previous advice that all anthropogenic mortality (e.g. recreational and commercial fishing, hydropower, pollution) affecting production and escapement of eels should be reduced to as close to zero as possible until there is clear evidence that both recruitment and the adult stock are increasing. Given the current record-low abundance of glass eels, ICES reiterates its concern that glass eel stocking programmes are unlikely to contribute to the recovery of the European eel stock in a substantial manner. The overall burden of proof should be that stocking will generate net benefits, in terms of contributions to silver eel escapement and spawning potential. Prior to stocking, or for continuing existing stocking, a risk assessment should be conducted, taking into account fishing, holding, transport, post-stocking mortalities, and other factors such as disease and parasite transfers. To facilitate stock recovery all catches of glass eel should be used for stocking. Stocking should take place only where survival to the silver eel stage is expected to be high and escapement conditions are good. This means that stocking should not be used to continue fishing and stocking should only take place where all anthropogenic mortalities are low.If suitable biomass and mortality data are reported by Member States in 2012 under the Council Regulation EC No. 1100/2007 (EC, 2007), ICES will use those to define and propose standard precautionary approach reference points.
History
Published under the auspices of the following ICES Steering Group or Committee
- ACOM
Period covered by advice
2012Series
ICES Advice: Recurrent adviceUsage metrics
Categories
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- All ICES Ecoregions
- Arctic Ocean (ICES Ecoregion)
- Azores (ICES Ecoregion)
- Baltic Sea (ICES Ecoregion)
- Barents Sea (ICES Ecoregion)
- Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast (ICES Ecoregion)
- Celtic Seas (ICES Ecoregion)
- Faroes (ICES Ecoregion)
- Greater North Sea (ICES Ecoregion)
- Greenland Sea (ICES Ecoregion)
- Icelandic Waters (ICES Ecoregion)
- Norwegian Sea (ICES Ecoregion)
- Oceanic Northeast Atlantic (ICES Ecoregion)