A financial support scheme has been announced to support the three-year closure of a major eel fishery to help support the recovery of endangered stocks.

The Lough Neagh Eel Fishery Transition Scheme is intended to allow the closure of the yellow/brown eel fishery for a three-year period from 2026 in a bid to promote the recovery and long-term sustainability of endangered European eel stocks.

Eel fishers and hauliers are to receive £700,000 in the closure, which is intended to increase the number of eels reaching maturity and successfully migrating to spawning grounds which will, in turn, support the long-term recovery of the stocks and secure the future of the industry.

The financial support recognises the financial impact of the conservation measures on those who depend on the fishery, while helping retain the specialist skills, knowledge and fishing capacity associated with one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive traditional fisheries.

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir said the decline in European eel numbers is not simply a recent ecological problem at Lough Neagh, noting numbers have been declining across Europe for decades.

“The Lough Neagh eel fishery has supported generations of fishers and is an important part of the cultural and economic heritage of communities around the lough,” he said.

“I recognise that the conservation measures required to protect European eel will have a significant impact on fishers and their families. This scheme will provide financial assistance during what will undoubtedly be a challenging period.

“Importantly, this is not a decommissioning scheme. It is about supporting fishers through necessary conservation action while seeking to retain the people, skills and knowledge required for a sustainable fishery in the future.”

European eel populations have been in serious decline across their natural range for several decades.

Mr Muir’s department said the European Parliament research indicates that the population has declined by around 90% to 95% since the 1980s, while the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) continues to assess its status as a critically endangered species.

Scientific advice from ICES for 2026 is that, when the precautionary approach is applied, there should be zero catches of European eel in all habitats.

Mr Muir added: “The decline in European eel numbers is not simply a recent ecological problem at Lough Neagh.

“Numbers have been declining across Europe for decades and the pressures affecting this migratory species long predate the recent environmental challenges experienced at the lough.

“Other European countries are facing similar difficult decisions, with eel fisheries closed in some countries and significant restrictions introduced elsewhere. This is a much wider international conservation challenge.

“We need to give the eel stock the opportunity to recover while recognising the importance of retaining the skilled workforce that has sustained this fishery for generations.

“This scheme is about transition and sustainability, not decommissioning. Future management decisions will remain dependent on the scientific evidence and statutory obligations, but we want to preserve the skills and capacity needed for a sustainable fishery in the future.”