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FRANCE SUBMITS EEL MANAGEMENT PLAN TO THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Confronted with the disturbing decline in the population of European eels, the European commission voted in September 2007 an ambitious regulation targeting recovery of the eel stock and requiring that each Member State submit an eel management plan by 31 December 2008.

France sent in its management plan on 17 December. Onema mobilised significant resources with other stakeholders to draw up the plan, under the auspices of the Fisheries ministry (MAP) and the Ecology ministry (MEEDDAT). The measures deal with the different types of fishing, obstacles to the passage of eels, restocking, habitat restoration and contamination.

The European commission has three months to render its opinion on the submitted plans. The Member States are required to implement the management plans approved by the commission, starting on 1 July 2009 or earlier if possible.

Some actions to recover the eel stock :

  • "The Eel regulation in 14 questions and answers"
  • Onema and the French eel management plan (French version)
  • An Agreement with hydroelctricty producers for the safeguard of the eel :
    EDF, GDF SUEZ group, France Hydroelctricity, la compagnie nationale du Rhône, la société hydroélectrique du Midi, The French Agency for Water and Aquatic Environment (ONEMA) and the ADEME signed an agreement in presence of of the French Union for Electricity, the Ministry for ecology, energy, sustainable environment and territory agency (MEEDAT) and The Ministry for Agriculture and Fishing (MAP). This agreement aims to engage common actions of research and development about the clearing of works by European eel.