2017/0246/NL
EC/EFTA
NL Pays-Bas
  • C00A - AGRICULTURE, PECHE ET DENREES ALIMENTAIRES
2017-09-14
2017-06-19
The policy guideline states the cases in which areas are closed or opened to eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing

Policy Guideline No WJZ/17055112 of the State Secretary for Economic Affairs of [date] [month] [year] on the closing and opening of areas to eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing (Policy Guideline on areas closed to eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing)

In this policy guideline, the State Secretary of Economic Affairs, in agreement with the Minister for Public Health, Welfare and Sport, lays down a policy framework concerning the closing and opening of areas to commercial eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing. The aim of this policy framework is to establish a clear and verifiable assessment framework in order to close areas to eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing. The aim of this measure is to prevent eels and Chinese mitten crabs contaminated with dioxins and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from being caught, thus ensuring that they are not placed on the market and consumed by humans. The measure also sets out a policy framework for the reopening of areas closed to eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing.

The guiding principle for determining whether a body of water must be opened or closed to eel fishing is the level of contamination of eels in the area concerned. Areas in which elvers (28 cm or longer) do not meet the provided standards of 8.8 picograms (pg) WHO-PCDD/F-PCBTEQ or 250 nanograms (ng) for ICES - 6 per gram of body weight, are closed to eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing. In order to determine the level of dioxins and PCBs in eels within the mixed sample, which in turn may lead to a body of water being closed or opened to eel and Chinese mitten crab fishing, the State Secretary for Economic Affairs has requested Wageningen Marine Research to establish the sampling protocol so that the eel sampling is representative of the catch by Dutch professional fishermen.