European Regulation EC No 1100/2007, voted in September 2007 by the Council of Ministers of the European Union is aimed at "reducing anthropogenic mortality so as to permit with high probability the escapement to the sea of at least 40 % of the silver eel biomass relative to the best estimate of escapement that would have existed if no anthropogenic influences had impacted the stock ».
Each Member State should develop an Eel Management Plan with measures to reduce anthropogenic mortality:
– To allow river crossings and improve habitats in conjunction with other environmental protection measures
– To carry silver eels from inland waters to waters from which they can migrate freely to Sargasso
– Fight against predators
– Temporary shutdown of hydroelectric power station turbines
– To develop aquaculture
– To reduce commercial fishing
– To reduce recreational fishing
– To get involved in restocking operations

Concernant plus spécifiquement la pêche de l’anguille, le Règlement impose aux Etats qui la pratiquent une réduction de l’effort de pêche ou des captures de 50% par rapport à l’effort moyen déployé ou à la moyenne des captures enregistrée entre 2004 et 2006. Elle demande également qu’un pourcentage des captures de civelle soit destiné au restocking since 2013 the percentage for restocking reached 60% of the allocated quota.