Noticed a fair few silver/silvering Eels in the past few days. All have been small ( probably males)
Looks like the spawning migration is starting up here. Having said that i caught a few small silvers earlier on in the year.

Hello Chris. What is the eel trapping situation in Scotland on the rivers ? Do the silvers get a chance of making sea water ?
Regards Orbeel.

Rob, there's no commercial eel fishing allowed up here at all now so you would hope that the silvers would have a great chance of making it back, although we all know that there will always be unscrupulous folk who will try and flout the legislation.

Hi Ashy and Chris. Is this another case of Scottish law being better than us lot down here in Blighty. How long has eel netting been banned.

Just come into force this year i believe but i think it all still needs clarification regarding angling. I have contacted various parties and am awaiting replies.

Orbeel.
Commercial fishing for eels has largely been unregulated hence the lack of data. Certainly in my area there are no trapping operations. Elvers have been trapped in the past by a few locals but this has largeley ceased due to low numbers. One guy kindly donated all his traps to me for my project. Again this has all been unregulated.
I think with regards to eel angling, because not many people fish for eels by design then it is easy to ban it completely as no one will oppose. I have and suggested that 100% catch and release should be practiced. I think it is a bit of a joke really to say you can't fish for eels with rod and line and return them alive but it is okay to fish for pike using eels as bait.
Eels are a priority species as is the Salmon but no one has banned Salmon fishing. Its all down to economics as Salmon angling generates so much money up here.