Formas evaluates the management of eels

Research council Formas has been assigned by the Swedish Government to evaluate Swedish management of the European eel. The remit asks for the evaluation to include the organisation of eel management in a broad sense, the knowledge base for conservation and restoring the eel stock, and the practical measures performed in Sweden to achieve the goals.

We have initiated four sub-projects which will analyse eel management and synthesise the information into comprehensive formats.

  • Delphi survey which is an anonymous and iterative consensus building method. Eel experts are invited to provide answers to three rounds of questionnaires. Each round is analysed and forms basis for the next round of questions. Scientist who participates through the full process are invited as co-authors of the paper that presents the results.
  • Analysis of the international and national organisation of eel management. The project will document and describe, but also conduct case studies on processes leading up to critical decisions for Swedish eel management.
  • Policy analysis conducted by a political science research group on commission from Formas. The project will synthesise the legal framework and strategies, both internationally and nationally. Focus will be on policy change as resulting from the interplay between political system, constraints and resources, and the structures and characteristics of coalitions.
  • Systematic review on effects on biodiversity in rivers when dams are removed. Dams and other man-made constructions in waterways constitute obstacles for migration of eels and many other species. The project will review the effects when dams are removed, and the rivers are made more accessible to migrating riparian organisms.

All four projects are designed to deliver comprehensive and useful information for the international panel of scientists who will evaluate the eel management and write the recommendations. The evaluation will be finalised and submitted to the government no later than 31 December 2024.

Project leader

Updated:1 March 2023
Page manager: Elisabet Blomberg