On Wednesday 2024-Dec-04, Remy Käller and Max Wastiaux published an article on the EU-website of Follow the Money , in which they questioned the influence of the Sustainable Eel Group (SEG) on EU policies to protect the European Eel, and questioned the influence of the commercial sector on SEG in turn. In their view, SEG’s influence has led to EU restrictions on fisheries being lifted, thereby hanging the future of eel protection on the hook.
At the bottom line, the article on the website of Follow-the-Money discusses the authors’ view on SEG – commercially financed, quite influential, and not subscribing to the latest scientific advice. SEG agrees with all three points: we praise the sector for their stewardship role and wider involvement; we are happy that responsible authorities were receptive to our arguments; and we regret that ICES has effectively replaced its 2002 constructive advice, by a questionable and unrealistic opinion now. But is their prejudiced view on SEG the only thing they want to discuss, in the context of the protection policies for the European eel?
See the full response by SEG on the article: