Dozens of fishers, scientists and administrators met this week in Orbetello, Italy to share knowledge and discuss the future of the European eel fishery in the Mediterranean Sea. They expressed support for collaborating on scientific monitoring activities in order to preserve the species and its habitat.  

European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is critically endangered, recording the lowest recruitment levels ever in 2020. A highly migratory species, it faces major threats all along its routes. Climate change, habitat loss and degradation, pollution, overfishing, illegal trafficking, predation and non-indigenous species (such as blue crab and catfish) have had negative anthropogenic and environmental cumulative effects on eels. 

In order to address this precarious situation, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) ran a research programme on eel in nine Mediterranean countries between 2020-2022. It has also organized a series of events, including this SSF Forum workshop in Orbetello, to engage both fishers and scientists in finding a common way forward.