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Eel and elver net fishing byelaws

Eel stocks are at dangerously low levels, prompting a Europe-wide recovery plan. We want to hear your views on proposed new byelaws to regulate eel and elver net fishing.

Starting date: 15 June 2009
Closing date: 7 September 2009

Consultation summary

We are consulting on new byelaws to regulate eel and elver fisheries in England and Wales. Eel stocks are at dangerously low levels and as part of a Europe-wide recovery plan, we must review our eel and elver net fishing byelaws.

The consultation asks for your views on:

  • the need for an elver close season and proposed close season dates

  • the need for a yellow and silver eel close season, and proposed close season dates

  • a more robust byelaw to improve the quality of catch returns

  • byelaws to limit the geographic extent of yellow and silver eel fisheries

  • byelaws to prevent net fishing for elvers at vulnerable locations

  • byelaws to specify elver fishing methods and equipment

  • banning trawling for eel and elver

We are seeking additional regulations to improve eel and elver stocks through the Marine & Coastal Access Bill and other legislation.

Consultation documents

Contact details

How to respond

We want people to respond online wherever possible. Your views are important to us.

Respond on line  (Please note: you will need to register - this will only take a moment)

If you do not have internet access or prefer to reply by post, you should complete the form in the consultation document and send it to –

Ayesha Taylor
Eel Fishing Byelaws Consultation
Environment Agency
Richard Fairclough House
Knutsford Road, Latchford
Warrington
Cheshire
WA4 1HT

What happens next

When the consultation closes on 7 September 2009, we will collate and publish a summary of the response on the internet. We will use the responses to inform how we draft the byelaws. Once we have decided to proceed with new byelaws, we will advertise them in the autumn (as we are required to do by law), allowing anyone to comment. We will need to answer each response to the advert, before we apply to government for confirmation. We expect the byelaws to become law in spring 2010.