Management plan for eel.

The present document contains Sweden's Management plan for eel. The Plan has been adopted based on Council Regulation (EC) No. 1100/2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel, and focuses on measures to quickly increase the migration of adult eels to their spawning grounds. Simultaneously, long-term measures are being implemented to improve the eel's living conditions, including habitat improvements.
The Plan includes measures primarily in four areas: 1) Fishing restrictions; 2) Improved migration opportunities for silver eels (reduced turbine mortality); 3) Supportive releases; and 4) Monitoring. In terms of fishing restrictions, the goal is to reduce eel catches from the year 2007 by approximately 50% by the end of 2013, in addition to the reduction already brought about by the existing licensing requirements for eel fishing. As regards improved migration opportunities for silver eels, the Plan includes proposals for measures to as quickly as possible reduce turbine mortality (in hydropower plants). Regarding increased supportive releases of glass eels, the aim is to at least double the number of glass eels released annually compared to the current level. The monitoring of compliance will be done through document checks in the Swedish Board of Fisheries' regular quota and effort monitoring.