The European Eel has a wide geographic range from Northern Norway to North Africa and the Mediterranean. Mature fish migrate thousands of miles to the Sargasso Sea, south of Bermuda to spawn. There is significant concern regarding the status of Anguilla anguilla, due to a decline in recruitment, population and escapement of the species over the past four decades.

The species is already listed as "Critically Endangered" on the IUCN Red List and is on Appendix II of CITES. European Union legislation was adopted in 2007 to ensure all Member States would develop Eel Management Plans. In 2014, as proposed by the Government of Monaco, the species was listed on CMS Appendix II, "having a conservation status which would significantly benefit from international co-operation".

The Workshop is being co-organized by the CMS Secretariat and the Sargasso Sea Commission. The purpose is to update countries on the status of eel conservation and management. Measures to be discussed might include the extension of the management regimes, which have been developed in the EU, to other Range States, mechanisms to support such activities, and, to the extent possible under current international law, the protection of the crucial spawning areas in the high seas areas of the Sargasso Sea.

The meeting will provide a unique opportunity for the Range States to come together and take stock of eel conservation and management measures, and consider whether any additional instruments of international cooperation would be desirable or practicable.

Pre-registration

The Government of the Principality of Monaco were recognized as Champion for their generous support and commitment towards marine species conservation for the period 2015 – 2017. The organization of the workshop has been partially funded with the contribution granted by Monaco under the Migratory Species Champion Programme.