Fishermen who no longer wish to use their nets will soon be able to sign up for a remediation scheme. The European Commission announced on Monday that it will approve the scheme, worth 155 million euros.
The money comes from the so-called Brexit Adjustment Reserve, a European pot of money intended to absorb the hardest blows of Brexit. The British departure from the European Union has affected Dutch fishermen, because the fishing opportunities have changed as a result.
Interest group Vissersbond informed NU.nl last month that there is a lot of interest in the remediation scheme. Not so much because of Brexit, but mainly because fishing is now very expensive. Due to the high fuel prices, it is simply too expensive for many fishermen to go out to sea.
In addition to a loss of income, fishermen also face problems such as the loss of crew. In the fishing industry, the crew does not receive a fixed hourly wage, but usually a part of the harvested profit.
It is not yet known when the subsidy scheme will open. However, Brussels has announced that the counter of the scheme will remain open until January 2024.