A £700,000 support scheme has been announced for eel fishers and hauliers on Lough Neagh affected by the closure of the yellow/brown eel fishery.

The Lough Neagh Eel Fishery Transition Scheme, unveiled by Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir, will run for three years from 2026. It aims to support a long-term sustainable industry while conserving declining eel stocks.

The yellow/brown eel fishery will be closed for three years to increase the number of eels reaching maturity and migrating to spawning grounds. A limit of 25 tonnes of silver eels with a maximum length of 90cm was introduced this year as part of conservation measures.

The scheme will provide partial, time-limited support to up to 81 permit holders and five specialist eel hauliers. Eligible applicants can have 50% of lost income reimbursed, based on being commercially active in 2022, 2023, or 2024.

Minister Muir said the scheme is "about transition and sustainability, not decommissioning." He acknowledged the significant impact of conservation measures on fishers and said the decline in European eel numbers is a wider international conservation challenge, not specific to Lough Neagh.

European eel populations have declined by around 90% to 95% since the 1980s, and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea continues to assess the species as critically endangered. Scientific advice for 2026 recommends zero catches of European eel in all habitats.

The Lough Neagh eel was the first Northern Ireland product to be granted Protected Geographical Indication status by the EU. Eel fishing on the lough is considered a heritage business, with some families involved for generations.

Gary McErlain, a seventh-generation fisherman, described the period as disastrous for everyone involved. He said there is a mix of emotions and that it has been a long fight to reach this point.

Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney welcomed the announcement but said the scheme falls short of full compensation for loss of income. He noted the extreme financial hardship and emotional distress endured by eel fishermen and their families since the onset of blue-green algae in the lough.

DAERA will issue applications directly to eligible fishers and hauliers with information on the process and required evidence. Applicants must return completed forms by the specified deadline.