In his response to the European fisheries and producers’ organisations on the eel issue (see News item: “Response of the European professional fishing industry to the Commission’s proposals on eel“), the European Commissioner somewhat forgot a key point, which is the basis of all stocking: you don’t plant seeds in a fallow field!

Eel management and restoration plans can only produce results that match the sacrifices made by professional fishermen if the natural productivity of the production areas that receive juveniles is improved, if ecological continuity is re-established and access to the species’ continental habitats is facilitated. However, this is not the case despite the warnings of professional fishermen for over 30 years!

In your reply (see below), Mr the European Commissioner, you conclude: “Let me in the end reassure you that my services have very clearly understood your message, that there are important mortalities for eels outside fisheries. We are taking this to heart, reflected also in the joint Declaration, and we will work with all relevant Member States to address these mortalities inland as this is crucial in the rebuilding measures for the eel stock“

This is a statement that we have been hearing for more than 20 years at different administrative levels: regional, national and now European, with the result that framework directives: WFD, MSFD, Habitat Directive, which are essential for the restoration of this species, have their objectives constantly  postponed, and the quality of our aquatic ecosystems has been described by the European Environment Agency as more than worrying. A sad record of our managers!

The professionals of small-scale continental, estuarine and coastal fishing are well aware of this and are increasingly aware that they are only being used as adjustment variables in the absence of an environmental and protection policy for the environments that they have exploited for ages.

So let us take up this challenge, firstly by establishing an objective and non-truncated assessment of the situation, not only for the eel, but also for all the species that need a minimum of quality in continental and interface aquatic environments, and by stopping taking as a basis for management, expert reports that do not even use the best data or the best techniques available to assess these populations, which is contrary to the principle of prevention.