Home / Environment / £700k Support for Declining Lough Neagh Eels
£700k Support for Declining Lough Neagh Eels
25 Sep
Summary
- A £700,000 support scheme will aid Lough Neagh eel fishers.
- The program aims to sustain the industry while conserving eel stocks.
- Fisheries across Europe are closing due to declining eel populations.
A £700,000 transition scheme has been unveiled to support eel fishers on Lough Neagh, a measure designed to assist a small number of specialist hauliers and permit holders. This initiative follows the recent closure of the yellow/brown eel fishery, a move necessitated by the significant decline in eel stocks since the early 1980s.
The three-year scheme, announced by Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir, aims to provide partial, time-limited support. Eligible permit holders and specialist hauliers can apply for reimbursement of up to 50% of lost income, based on commercial activity between 2022 and 2024. This support is intended to help businesses adapt to reduced fishing opportunities, maintain vessels, and explore diversification.
Eel fishing on Lough Neagh is a generational heritage business, with some relying on it for up to 70% of their income. The decline in eel populations, first detected in 1983, is attributed to factors including habitat loss, climate change, and over-fishing. The yellow/brown eel fishery will be closed for three years from 2026 to aid recovery, a measure aligning with wider European conservation efforts.
Minister Muir emphasized that the scheme is about transition and sustainability, not decommissioning, and aims to preserve the skilled workforce crucial to the fishery's history. Future management decisions will be guided by scientific evidence and statutory obligations, with the goal of fostering a sustainable fishery for the future. A limit of 25 tonnes of silver eels was introduced this year as part of ongoing conservation efforts.
