- Discussion on response measures to the EU’s proposal to register glass eel in the CITES of wild fauna & flora


The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Chun Jae-soo) announced that it would be holding the 2nd meeting for the Glass Eel Resource Management Council on Thursday, July 24. Central and local government officials, experts, and industry representatives will gather for the Council meeting to discuss measures for addressing the registration of glass eels—including Far Eastern glass eels—under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora (CITES) II and glass eel resource management policies.


On June 27, the European Union (EU) proposed listing all species of the genus Anguilla—including glass eels—in CITES Appendix II. The decision will be finalized at the 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20) to CITES to be held in November.


The Council meeting was convened to address concerns that adopting the proposal to register glass eels on CITES will considerably restrict the international trade of glass eels and lead to an increase in the price of glass eels and a significant decline in the glass eel industry.


At this meeting, the government's policies for responding to CITES registration will be explained, and the results of the Northeast Asian Nations Council for Glass Eel Resource Conservation*—participated in by Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan—and future response plans will be shared.


* Held since 2012 to respond to CITES registration, the meeting establishes scientific grounds for opposing registration and discusses the resource management plans of each country.


The 18th Northeast Asian Nations Council held last June adopted a joint statement containing scientific evidence for opposing the registration of glass eels in CITES, and the resource management plans of the four countries were adopted. MOF plans to cooperate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expand the number of friendly countries supporting the registration opposition.


“We will closely communicate and cooperate with experts as well as the industry through the public-private council to respond to the proposal to register glass eels on CITES and continue our efforts to restore glass eel resources,” Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Jeon Jae-soo said.