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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Working Group on the management of European eel (WGMEASURES-EEL) was held at FAO headquarters (Rome, Italy) on 16–17 April 2019. The WGMEASURES-EEL was attended by 29 participants, including scientific experts and representatives from the administrations of Mediterranean and Black Sea riparian states (i.e. Albania, Croatia, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey) as well as representatives of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission (DG MARE), the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Mediterranean Advisory Council (MEDAC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the GFCM Secretariat. The main objectives of the meeting were to i) draft a work plan for the consideration of the SAC to address Recommendation GFCM/42/2018/1 on a multiannual management plan for European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in the Mediterranean, including a roadmap towards the evaluation of management measures; ii) identify gaps and needs for research towards providing terms of reference to support the implementation of a research programme on European eel in the Mediterranean Sea; and iii) establish a network of people and entities working on European eel . The experts reviewed the existing regional and national legislation for the European eel fishery, including management measures. Several case studies in selected countries were also presented during the meeting. The WGMEASURES-EEL discussed the priorities for a GFCM regional research programme on European eel (e.g. assessment methods, monitoring, etc.) and agreed on a work plan to address Recommendation GFCM/42/2018/1, including a roadmap to launch and implement the research programme by 2020.