Lough Neagh eels: Prehistoric species fights for survival

Fishing was stopped last year when the quality fell short of the market requirement.

Last month, the Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir announced a series of measures for the Lough Neagh eel fishery, to ensure long-term recovery of stocks.

The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said the new measures, external, are informed by scientific advice and reflect the department’s statutory responsibilities to protect the European eel, which is classified as critically endangered.

Muir said work is being progressed “as a priority” to develop a temporary cessation scheme to support permit holders affected by the closure of the yellow eel fishery.

Gary McErlain has his own thoughts about the collapse in the eel population.

“You can point to a whole host of factors such as zebra mussel, climate change, whatever else. We can see very clearly our Lough Neagh fly is down, the pollution is up,” the eel fisherman said.

“You had the algae bloom of 2023, ’24 and ’25, and I would say last year was worse than any.”

He suspected “it’s going to happen again” following two periods of heatwave conditions in Northern Ireland.

As the seventh generation of his family to fish for eels on Lough Neagh, he gets emotional when he contemplates the future.

“I’m blessed that I’ve come from a long line of commercial fishing, and I’m blessed that I had the opportunity to do it,” he said.

“So to ask me how I feel in relation to that not continuing into the future – that’s devastating.”

Increasing the chances of adult fish to breed through management plans, fishing bans and protected routes to sea are seen as key to restoring the species.

As a scientist, Prof Evans is cautiously optimistic.

“The eel is a very resilient species, it’s been here millions of years.

“It’s seen itself through many ice ages. It’s a survivor.

“Given the right chances, it will continue to survive.”