23 cutters blocked the ferry service between Den Helder and Texel this morning. To the side, fisherman Dirk Kraak stood proudly waving the Dutch flag upside down. “That is a sign that we are also in need, many fishermen are doing very badly at the moment,” he explains.
According to Kraak, the action is an extension of the farmer’s protests, but according to him shows another need. “There are companies that can no longer sail because of the fuel prices, they make a loss every week. There are companies that have signed up for the remediation that may take place in September.”
In addition, the government’s nitrogen plans will also have consequences for some cutters. “The shrimp fleet is really on the shovel here,” says Kraak. “These fishermen also suffer from the nitrogen problem.”
“They have a permit to fish in Natura 2000 areas, based on new calculations they will hear whether that permit will remain from January. We have already submitted a plan, but it looks like we will not get a permit,” explains Break out.
Farmers
A group of farmers also declared their solidarity with the fishermen in this case. “They have blocked things on land and we have blocked things from sea.” The action stopped around 09:30 and the first ferry services departed; the activists were told that Texel residents had to go to Den Helder for treatments in the hospital. “Healthcare should of course continue,” said Kraak.