CCB letter to Commisioner Vella about eel

CCB • May 16, 2016

In April 2016 CCB sent a letter to the Commission pointing to the illegal catches of eel but also questioning the legal fishery on an endangered species and if the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) goal of fishing at MSY applies to eel. CCB has gotten a response from the Commission explaining the views of the Commission and an indication to investigate further the data of illegal catches that CCB sent in. The Commissions reply also hints that it considers existing EU regulations stricter and include stronger measures than any kind of international agreement can deliver, for example the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS or “Bonn convention”) that recently added eel to its annex II. CCB hopes that the Commission as well as the Member States will take on the full responsibility to make sure illegal fishing is controlled better and that all fishing is stopped during the migration season for eel. It remains to be seen if the CFP goal of fishing at MSY indeed applies to eel.

Read CCBs letter here.

Read the Commissions response here.

CCBs information about eel.

 

From a destroyed greenhouse to a growing public garden: how donations found new life in Lviv

By CCB • December 18, 2025
In 2022, amid the devastation caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a small but meaningful crowdfunding initiative - #ASeedForReblooming - was launched to support landscape architect Nina Radchenko . Today, that initiative has evolved into a powerful contribution to urban sustainability and community resilience in Lviv.

Too many concessions in agreed eel fishing closures makes measure ineffective

By CCB • December 15, 2025
The EU Fisheries Council have agreed to a roll-over of current eel fishing closures in EU waters to protect the 2026/2027 eel migrations. Regrettably the well-intentioned provision now contains so many derogations that the measure is not effective. The ban on recreational eel fishing in EU waters remain. In the Mediterranean region, measures apply in all waters, including freshwater, in line with the GFCM Recommendation [1] on eel.