Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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839. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an overview of the EU and national level regulation pertaining to eel fishing; and if his Department has reviewed the decision regarding the closure of eel fishing and the impact on local jobs and communities as set out in correspondence (details supplied). [9487/20]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Having undertaken a comprehensive public consultation process, Ireland introduced its Eel Management Plan under EU Regulation 1100/2007 in 2009, once the Plan was approved by the European Commission. In line with the requirements of the EU Regulation, Ireland’s Plan was reviewed in 2012, 2015 and 2018 when further public consultation was undertaken. The consultations afforded stakeholders the opportunity to make written submissions on all aspects of eel fishing in Ireland. The measures in Ireland’s management plan included closure of the eel fishery, improvement in water quality and assessment of barriers to migration.  In addition a trap and transport initiative, employing experienced eel fishermen to transport migrating eels around ESB Hydro-electric plants was also initiated.

It is important to bear in mind that the European eel is a panmithic stock – a single stock across the entire continent - which spawns in the Sargasso Sea before arriving into European rivers and lakes.  The distribution is naturally random between countries. 

Ireland has followed the objective of the EU Regulation which aims to ensure that escapement of eels to the sea should be at 40% relative to “pristine conditions” - those pertaining in the early 1980s which was the reference years selected.

The scientific assessments carried out in each review and the recent EU proposals for a review and strengthening of the existing Eel Regulation do not support the assertion that elver runs are at a record level across Europe.

The latest advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) is that the species remains critically endangered and that recruitment of juveniles in the Northern part of the Atlantic is currently at 1% relative to pristine conditions.  The very latest international scientific advice is that anthropogenic (man-made) mortality should be kept at zero or as close to zero as possible.    

In consideration of the economic and social impacts of the Eel Management Plan reported by fishermen, the Irish Government’s Eel Support Scheme fund was made available from 2018 to all persons who were the holder of a State commercial public eel licence or an eel fishing permit in the 2007 season (the base year).  The scheme provided payments to former fishermen based on their track record in the 5 year period 2003-2007.