While COP15 is going on in Montreal, EU fisheries ministers are negotiating fishing rules on a large number of species in the EU's Atlantic waters. One of these species is the endangered eel. The fish is acutely threatened, compared to 1950, only about 1–5% of the stock remains. The eel's complicated life cycle and long journeys across large parts of the world make it extra vulnerable. Overfishing is one cause of its extinction, but pollution and destroyed habitats have also had a major impact. The eel has existed on Earth for 70 million years - but in less than half a decade it has almost completely disappeared. The EU has proposed an extended ban period for eel fishing: from three to six months. The Swedish government is refusing this new rule. Minister for Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren (KD) justifies it by saying that eel fishing is a cultural heritage that should be protected. The Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L) also agrees with this decision from the government, to "preserve the fishing industry and businesses that work with eel fishing". How are you supposed to have a cultural heritage if it disappears? The fact that a few privileged people can eat eel for Christmas is not a good argument to lead to the extinction of a species. Time for the government to start caring about biodiversity. https://www.wwf.se/djur/alar/#hot https://supermiljobloggen.se/nyheter/halvtid-i-cop15-nytt-ramverk-langt-ifran-fardigt/