More and more Belgian fishermen bring waste from the sea back to land for recycling

On Wednesday, the Rederscentrale in Zeebrugge held a thank-you event for all participating shipping companies and fishermen in the presence of the Minister of the North Sea Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open VLD).

Enthusiasm for the project has grown strongly in recent years. While Belgian fishermen brought two tons of waste ashore in 2017, in 2020 that amounted to 17.7 tons. That year, 23 of the 64 Belgian ships also took an active part in the project. The Rederscentrale and the federal government made additional efforts to raise awareness and communicate. In addition, a smartphone app was launched for participating fishermen. They can then efficiently register what type of waste they will bring ashore where and when. Information about the number of kilograms of waste is registered in a log after weighing. There are also some prizes to be won via the app.

The app caused a new increase in the number of participants. In 2021, 37 fishing vessels participated and a total of 65 tons of waste was collected. The fishermen were therefore thanked on Wednesday at a Fishing for Litter thank you event. At the quay in Zeebrugge, during various explanations about Fishing for Litter and through interactive activities, fishermen were called upon to continue making efforts to bring the waste they find in their nets to country.

Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne also emphasizes the importance of the project. “It is not only good for the sea itself, but also for the image of the fishermen. They really contribute to a better sea. The number of participants has increased enormously in the last year, and we will also get the remaining shipowners and fishermen on board. the project. We continue to find creative ways to convince everyone to join this initiative,” said Van Quickenborne.