L 98/14 Official Journal of the European Union 10.4.2008 COMMISSION DECISION of 4 April 2008 establishing that the Black Sea and the river systems connected to it do not constitute a natural habitat for European eel for the purposes of Council Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007 (notified under document number C(2008) 1217) (Only the Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak and Slovene texts are authentic) (2008/292/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007 of 18 September 2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel (1), and in particular Article 1(2) () The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries has advised the Commission that the Black Sea and the river systems connected to it are at the extreme limit of the distribution of European eel and that, before stocking occurred, the natural presence of eel was sporadic. Prior to stocking the density of European eel in those waters was too low to support fisheries on any life stage of eel. thereof, (6) It is unlikely that any significant number of eel stocked into the rivers connected to the Black Sea could reach maturity and successfully complete the spawning migration to the Sargasso Sea. Additionally, it is After consulting the Scientific, Technical and Economic unlikely that any significant number of juvenile eel Commiittee for Fisheries, could recruit into the rivers connected to the Black Sea, attain maturity and escape to spawning grounds. Whereas: (7)  Any potential benefit to the stock of European eel resulting from recovery measures in the Black Sea and (1) Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007 establishes a framework the rver systems connected to it would be neghgll?le. and for the protection and sustainable use of the stock of thus disproportionately low compared to the administra- European eel in Community waters and in coastal tive and financial burden that would be laid upon the lagoons, in estuaries, and in rivers and communicating Member States concerned. inland waters of Member States. o . o (8) It should therefore be established that the Black Sea and o) Member States are to 1d_ent1fy .and d.efme the .1nd1V1dual the river systems connected to it do not constitute a river basins lying within their national territory that natural habitat for European eel for the purposes of constitute natural habitats for the European eel. For Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007. each eel river basin, Member States are to prepare an Eel Management Plan. (9)  The measures provided for in this Decision are in Since European eel are found in the Black Sea and in river systems connected to it in low numbers, it is not certain whether or not those waters constitute a natural habitat for that species. Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007 empowers therefore the Commission to decide whether the Black Sea and the river systems connected to it constitute such a natural habitat requiring the implementation of recovery measures. accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The Black Sea and the river systems connected to it do not constitute a natural habitat for European eel for the purposes (') OJ L 248, 22.9.2007, p. 17. of Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007.