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Recreational eel fishing ban now also applies in freshwater

Official title (in Danish): Bekendtgørelse om forbud mod fiskeri af ål i saltvand og ferskvand

Executive order · BEK nr. 670 af 15.07.2026 · Miljøministeriet

In short

Reading time: 1 min
  • What changes:
    • Recreational eel fishing is now banned in both saltwater and freshwater.
    • Before, the ban only applied in saltwater.
    • If you catch an eel, it must be released immediately.
    • Commercial fishers must not fish for eel in saltwater in ICES sub-area 3 from 15 September 2026 up to and including 15 March 2027.
    • In ICES sub-area 4, the rule applies from 1 September 2026 up to and including 28 February 2027.
    • During those periods, commercial fishers in saltwater may still use traps and bottom nets to catch shore crabs, but they no longer have to meet all the earlier conditions for the gear.
    • Eels in the gear must be released immediately.
    • Eels in the gear must be released immediately.
  • Who: This applies to everyone who fishes for eel recreationally in saltwater or freshwater, and to commercial fishers in saltwater.
  • When: The executive order entered into force on 1 August 2026.

Written by AI from verbatim quotes from the source and checked by code and AI. Dates, tables and the fact box are calculated by fixed rules. Unofficial translation. Always read the original.

Sources and original

Read the official text (in Danish) →

Source: Retsinformation.dk

Translated from Danish · The Danish version and the original source apply.

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  1. Issued · 15 July 2026
    Retsinformation.dk
  2. Published in the Danish Law Gazette (Lovtidende) · 18 July 2026
    Retsinformation.dk – bekendtgørelse nr. 670 offentliggjort
  3. In force · 1 August 2026
    Retsinformation.dk – BEK nr. 670 af 15-07-2026: »Bekendtgørelsen træder i kraft den 1. august 2026.«