News

Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of 27 July 2024 of “Implementation of the regulation establishing measures for the recovery of the European eel stock”.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C_202404214 This document relates to the European Parliament resolution of 21 November 2023 on the implementation of Council Regulation 1100/2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel.It confirms what French professional fishermen have been saying, and has apparently not been taken into account by either our administration responsible for fisheries and

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A White Book on the European Eel signed by the official structures of professional sea and inland fishing in France

As promised at the time of its creation, AFPMAR has finalized a draft White Paper, which has been submitted to and discussed with the official professionnal fishing structures: CNPMEM and CONAPPED, as well as with the Association ARA France, which coordinates restocking operations in France. This book brings together factual information on biology, fishing, the

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Administrative decisions that penalize the fishing sector even more, without making any progress in restoring the species.

Solutions exist, but administration needs the courage to implement them. AFPMAR had already strongly criticized the authoritarian nature of the European Commission’s opening periods for eel fishing, which are more than limited in time, leaving few opportunities for professional fishermen, particularly those fishing for glass eels, to practice their activity and support their companies (see

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The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean publishes its report on eels: there is a sharp divergence between the opinions of scientists and fishermen on the measures to be taken

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean publishes its report on eels: there is a sharp divergence between the opinions of scientists and fishermen on the measures to be taken, and considerable effort is needed to improve assessment. On 4 and 5 June 2024, eel experts met at the FAO headquarters in Rome to finalise

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Is fishing the source of all evils?

The latest meeting (see previous news) of the EU’s Tacs and Quotas Committee once again targeted eel fishing, under unprecedented pressure from environmental NGOs who wanted to make eel fishing responsible for all the ills suffered by this species. Once again, decisions are being taken without a comprehensive analysis of the existing evidence both on

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Despite what Ethic Océan has to say, eel restocking is not a recent measure and it’s not as bad as all that.

In its latest press release dated 8 December 2023, entitled “Eel restocking: a false good idea“, Ethic Océan confines itself to a series of approximations and inaccuracies that have nothing whatsoever to do with the environmental ethics it intends to defend, to explain the subtitle of its press release “Eel protection measures that are costly

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A very bad signal for Europe: “Yet another totally technocratic and sector-based posture from the European Commission on eel fishing”.

Ignoring the Van-Ruyssen report (November 2023 P9_TA (2023)0411) calling for management plans to be implemented with a more global vision that takes better account of the many sources of pressure on the species and its habitats,  Mr Sinkevičius, the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, has once again put the blame on fishing, using

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A deeply frustrating Tac and quotas Council: “This year fishermen of pollack, whiting and glass eels are going to pay for it.

“I don’t understand the Commission’s determination to torpedo coastal fisheries, even though it claims to want to safeguard them,” says Olivier Le Nézet, President of the Comité National de la Pêche Maritime et des Elevages Marins. “The Commission’s obstinacy is obvious, with its desire to undermine the restocking of eels that our fishing sector has

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At last, a little more coherence and a global vision from the European Union on eels

Recognition of the role and importance of fishing for the recovery of the species The text Pg_TAC(2023)0411 concerning the implementation of the regulation establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel was published on 21/11/2023 and will now be sent to the Council and the European Commission. This text contains several important

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Glass eel fishing season 2023-2024: an exceptional beginning for the Adour river

The start of the fishing season on the Adour, in both the lower and upper parts of the estuary, has been characterised by large catches of glass eels. The consumption quota should be reached quickly on that catchment, at least in the maritime zone (lower part of the estuary).

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