Unrest among fishermen: “The hobby will soon become invaluable”

The materials for this will cost them around 8,000 euros. Discontent is growing and the sector wants to unite.

different industries

Sport fisherman Mark Lathoudres has always been a driver, but now he enjoys fishing out at sea in his small boat. He is a hunter and will not get rich from it. Fishing was also not easy on Saturday.

“Saturday…three thrusts. From 7 am to 4 pm with my boat. 15 horsepower. Lost 7 liters of petrol. That’s expensive fish. You can’t get rich. This is for eating. That’s the point.”

But the recreational sector, sport fishing, is much more complex than that. There are fishermen and vessels over 12 meters with trawls and also shrimp fishers under a Dutch licence. So the sector is very diversified and they operate in our four coastal ports.

“In the last study, 633 vessels were mentioned. A whole host of European regulations are coming to us, such as the system of electronic monitoring and recording of catches,” says Martin Du Bois of the professional organization of the fish sector.

(Continue reading below the image)

Priceless

For many recreational anglers, compliance will soon be unaffordable. Fishermen are also not allowed to officially sell their fish. To avoid sector degradation, fishermen want a better situation. They now want to unite and knock on the table for a better settlement.

“It can happen very quickly. It is the social fabric and DNA of the coast. It is also tourism. If they suddenly stand for 7 to 8,000 euros, we are afraid that 3 out of 4 will be taken away and demolished.”

“This is already very expensive for the average angler, but also for us. What comes to us. It’s becoming very expensive to do this as a hobby. It always gets worse,” says Ricky Lycke, owner of B18 Moby Dick.

an act

Fishermen will certainly take action at sea at the end of June. They also want to contact the responsible ministers.

Although this is also complicated. There is a Minister for Mobility, a Flemish Minister for Fisheries, a Federal Minister for the North Sea and, in fact, fishermen also fall under Nature and the Environment.