On Monday 26 May, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a derogation from the current rules banning eel fishing in EU waters.
Under the current Regulation on fishing opportunities for 2025, Member States must introduce one or more closed periods of at least six months for the commercial fishing of European eel in the North-East Atlantic, subject to certain conditions.
Under the proposal, the Member States concerned would be authorised to catch adult eels of at least 12 cm in length in EU waters upstream of brackish waters outside the EU during the main migration period. This activity would be strictly regulated and limited to the transport and immediate, unharmed release of silver eels into EU marine waters downstream, at a designated location. Eels caught accidentally and not sexually mature (particularly yellow eels) should be immediately released unharmed into their environment.
On 1 April 2025, in accordance with the transfer rules of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Iceland agreed to transfer 200 tonnes of its bluefin tuna quota for 2025 to the EU. This transfer must be incorporated into EU law and the European quota for this stock adjusted accordingly. The total bluefin tuna quota allocated to the EU for 2025 is 22,778.15 tonnes (t), including 7,161.64 t for Spain, 7,132.06 t for France and 5,628.97 t for Italy.
See the proposal: https://aeur.eu/f/h21 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)