20 NGOs call upon EU ministers to explain what they will do to protect the eel
CCB • November 23, 2017
The eel is critically endangered. The EU Commission has proposed to ban EU marine catches of adult eels to increase possibilities 
for more mature fish to reach the spawning grounds in Sargasso sea. In a joint letter, 20 NGOs now ask the EU fishery ministers what they will do in addition to stopping the fishery in marine waters since this will not be enough to save the eel. The Commission proposal can only cover marine waters as part of the CFP and TAC and quota discussions, the rest is today up to the Member States.
Read the letter here: NGO letter about eel and upcoming fisheries council 2017
On Wednesday, 28 May, the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) published its scientific advice for fish stocks in the Baltic Sea . In response, environmental NGOs from around the Baltic Sea region urge the European Commission to propose, and fisheries ministers to adopt, fishing opportunities at levels well below the headline advice to safeguard ecosystem needs and dynamics and allow for rapid recovery of Baltic Sea fish populations.
Key Baltic fish populations are in crisis, warn environmental NGOs. New scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, confirms the poor condition of key Baltic fish populations, several of which remain collapsed (1). EU fisheries ministers must set 2026-catch limits well below ICES advice and prioritise long-term recovery over short-term economic gains.