Dossier

Eels and eel fishing in the Netherlands

The stock of European eel is only at about 10 percent of what it was about fifty years ago. In this dossier you can find news, backgrounds and results of our research on eels and eel fishing in the Netherlands. Our research focuses on among others the propagation of glass eel, residues of dioxin in eel, monitoring eel by tracking with tags and the possibilities for eel protection.

Rules and regulation

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European eels spend the first two years of their life being swept 5,000 km by the Gulfstream, until they reach our coastal waters in the form of transparent ‘glass eels’ measuring seven centimetres. They are prevented from entering our waterways by locks, but glass eels can wash through openings in the lock gates by the current.

Do you have a question about eels and eel fishing? Ask our expert: dr. T (Tessa) van der Hammen

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Glass eel monitoring in the Netherlands

Newly hatched glass eels return to Europe from the Sargasso Sea. Data about the numbers of glass eels entering the Netherlands are crucial in keeping track of the population. Wageinngen Marine Research has been monitoring this since 1938 at the sluices of Den Oever.

Monitoring glass eel