Fisheries sector: the recovery of the Community eels stocks, development of a Community action plan
The committee adopted the own-initiative report drawn up by Albert Jan MAAT(EPP-ED, NL) in response to the Commission communication on developing a Community Action Plan for the recovery of European eel. The committee called for the Member States to draw up national management plans for eel stocks as soon as possible. These should involve, inter alia, technical measures to optimise the migration of eels; temporary fishing bans where appropriate; the imposition of catch limits; restocking with glass eels and fattened farm eels in European inland waters; ensuring that eel farming is not so extensive as to disturb the viability of wild eel fisheries; and the management of cormorant populations to reduce eel mortality.
The Commission was also urged to undertake a range of research projects to study the problem and to adjust the policy on catches and exports of eel in such a way that enough glass eels are available for natural migration and enough are available at a reasonable price for restocking natural eel habitats.
Lastly, MEPs called for a separate cofinancing entry to be
inserted in the fisheries budget for restructuring inland fisheries in