News item | 13-06-2023 | 4:00 pm
Minister Piet Adema of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) has made 30 million euros available for companies ashore that are related to fishing and for communities affected by the radical changes in North Sea fisheries. The number of vessels in the cutter fleet is decreasing and new, more sustainable forms of fishing are emerging. This also has consequences ashore. Chain companies, such as fish auctions and processors, shipyards and fishing cooperatives, can adapt with the financial contribution. Attention will also be paid to maintaining identity and employment in communities where families have been linked to fishing for generations.
The announcement of the support measure is contained in the Collective Letter for Fisheries that Minister Adema sent to the House of Representatives today. The letter also includes studies that form part of a socio-economic impact analysis into the relationship between fishing at sea and the chain on shore. The studies were carried out by Wageningen Economic Research (WEcR) on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. They describe for the first time how fishing at sea is related to the chain and communities ashore. The 30 million euros that Minister Adema is making available comes from the 199 million euros that the cabinet previously reserved in the Climate Fund, due to the consequences of new offshore wind farms for the fishing industry.
Minister Piet Adema of LNV: “Working in the fishery is not just a profession. It is a way of life that families in close-knit communities have been deeply involved in for generations. Reducing the cutter fleet therefore has a major social and economic impact ashore. The chain companies provide employment to thousands of people. I therefore think it is extremely important to keep an eye on the consequences of the transition of North Sea fisheries ashore. With the 30 million euros that I am now making available, I am committed to preserving and developing the fisheries chain and helping fishing communities to keep their cultural heritage alive.”
The shrinkage of the cutter fleet is the result of an accumulation of developments, such as high fuel prices, the pulse ban, Brexit, the limitation of bottom-disturbing fishing in nature reserves at sea and the construction of wind farms. A large number of fishermen have applied for the restructuring scheme, which has been opened up to fishermen who have lost fishing quotas due to Brexit.
Size of fishing chain
WEcR’s impact analysis on the shore-based fishing chain shows that in 2021, 314 fishing companies were partly dependent on North Sea fishing. Together they achieved a turnover of 5.8 billion euros, of which 2.9 billion euros was directly attributable to North Sea fish. The companies offered work to 12,600 people (8,150 FTE). This means that the socio-economic size of North Sea fisheries ashore is considerably larger than that of the fleet itself. By way of comparison, the North Sea fishery accounted for 344 million euros in 2021 and had around 1,800 people on board. Discussions with the sector show that there are fears that further shrinkage of the fishing fleet, in addition to the loss of activity and employment, may also lead to the disappearance of specialist expertise, such as the processing of North Sea fish and the maintenance of cutters. The auctions are also noticing that the supply is declining. Communities with harbors for larger cutters fishing for flatfish, such as sole and plaice, are most affected. These are, for example, IJmuiden, Urk, Kop van Noord-Holland and Southwest Netherlands. It is mainly the larger flatfish trawlers that are being rehabilitated due to the series of market and policy developments.
Opportunities fishing chain
However, there are also opportunities for the fish chain. For example, the emergence of the fly-shoot technique has ensured that the decrease in supply at fish auctions has been compensated to some extent and there is more demand for new-build vessels. Fish processors are looking for new revenue models. Many have already switched to imported fish. Another possibility, according to the researchers, is that they focus on processing fish heads, bones and other parts of the fish into nutritional supplements, such as healthy sports drinks, fish oil and omega-3 capsules. The WEcR researchers also emphasize that national and European policy decisions must pay attention to the future perspective of the chain, so that companies can develop long-term business plans for investments and innovations.
The Administrative Platform for Fisheries (BPV) of municipalities and provinces is drawing up a fisheries development plan for the expenditure of the 30 million euros made available by Minister Adema. The plan describes the measures for each region and how much is required financially. On the basis of this, the minister decides how the contribution will be used. That will be half at most. The regions are expected to be able to start implementing the development plan in the first half of 2024.