i'm not overly sure on that but found this article:
"Ban on fishing young eels until next year to halt plummeting population
Fishing for juvenile eels has been banned until February of next year in an effort to stop their complete disappearance in English waters, with a maximum fine of £50,000 for those who break the rules.
Once common in British waters, the long-term future the once traditional sea-side delicacy is bleak as the numbers of eels entering European rivers has crashed by up to 95 percent in recent decades, the lowest since records began.
Eels start life as larvae