Enhancing international Eel Governance and Assessment: Insights from the SUDOANG Project

• Main Authors: Diaz, Estibaliz, Mateo Santos, Maria, Korta, Maria, Amilhat, Elsa, Antunes, Carlos H., Correia, Maria, Costa, José, Lino, Costarrosa, Anna, de Miguel Rubio, Ramon, Domingos, Isabel, Drouineau, Hilaire, Faliex, Elisabeth, Delgado, Carlos Fernández, García Allut, Antonio, Monteiro, Rui, Moura, Ana, Portela, Teresa, Sagnes, Pierre, Simon, Gaël, Zamora, Lluis, Briand, Cédric
• Other Authors: AZTI - Tecnalia, Centre de formation et de recherche en environnement marin (CEFREM), Université de Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Instituto de Ecologia Acuatica, Universitat de Girona = University of Girona (UdG), Universidad de Córdoba = University of Córdoba Córdoba, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Portugal (MARE), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida = University Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences (ISPA), Ecosystèmes aquatiques et changements globaux (UR EABX), Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Facultad de Humanidades, Universidade de A Coruña, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, Royaume-Uni (Oxford BHF-CRE), Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research Matosinhos, Portugal (CIIMAR), Universidade do Porto = University of Porto, Universidade de Lisboa = University of Lisbon = Université de Lisbonne (ULISBOA), Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), Pôle de recherche et développement en écohydraulique OFB-IMFT-Pprime (OFB-IMFT-Pprime), Institut de mécanique des fluides de Toulouse (IMFT), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut Pprime UPR 3346 (PPrime Poitiers ), Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers (UP)-École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et d’Aérotechnique Poitiers (ISAE-ENSMA )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers (UP)-École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et d’Aérotechnique Poitiers (ISAE-ENSMA )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Service fonctionnement, préservation et restauration des écosystèmes aquatiques continentaux et marins (OFB Service EcoAqua), Direction de la recherche et de l’appui scientifique (OFB - DRAS), Office français de la biodiversité (OFB)-Office français de la biodiversité (OFB)-Direction de la recherche et de l’appui scientifique (OFB - DRAS), Office français de la biodiversité (OFB)-Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), Cités, Territoires, Environnement et Sociétés (CITERES), Université de Tours (UT)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), EPTB Vilaine
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2024
• Subjects: [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; European eel
• Online Access: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04573541

International audience The European eel is critically endangered and outside safe biological limits. In 2007, the European Commission implemented a Regulation requiring Member States to establish Eel Management Plans. However, despite these efforts, the eel population has not shown signs of recovery. We initiated the SUDOANG Interreg project to provide managers in Spain, France, and Portugal (SUDOE area) with common toolkits to enhance eel conservation.Eel management involves multiple levels of governance, spanning regional, national, and international authorities. This can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in the measures adopted for eel management. To overcome these inconsistencies and foster dialogue among stakeholders, we proposed the objectives, structure and composition of a governance platform: GOVERNANG.Despite being a single fish stock, the European eel is assessed as separate units by each country, using different methodologies. This approach, combined with data and knowledge gaps, and variability in data collection formats, hinders the effectiveness of international eel population assessments. To overcome these challenges, we have established an eel sampling network across 10 basins in Spain, France, and Portugal, encompassing Atlantic and Mediterranean rivers, as well as a Mediterranean lagoon. Additionally, we have developed and implemented common models to estimate recruitment, eel abundance in inland waters , and escapement across the SUDOE area. We have also evaluated the impact of hydropower plants on eel mortality in selected basins. To facilitate information access, we have created the VISUANG online tool, which provides a platform for visualizing both physical and biological data related to eels.During the presentation we will discuss the challenges we faced in SUDOANG and emphasize the advantages of international and multi-stakeholder collaboration and knowledge exchange for diadromous species. By sharing our experiences and findings, we aim to contribute to the ongoing discourse on ...