Tidal-flat fisheries

The fisheries in the tidal flat region is concentrated mostly in fishing cockles (only by hand), seed mussel, mussels and shrimp. The mechanical cockle fisheries was ended in 2005. A few people earn their living in digging up lug-worms and rag-worms. In Sleeswijk-Holstein, an area of 0.5 square meters has been designated for farming Pacific oysters. Besides professional fishermen, sport fishermen are also found on the flats. The fisheries in the Wadden Sea have to deal with a number of regulations since it is first and foremost a nature reserve. Opinions are divided over the question as to whether or not the present regulations are sufficient in preventing disturbances caused by the fisheries.

The following forms of fisheries are applied in the Wadden Sea:
- shrimp fisheries
- mussel seed fisheries and mussel cultivation
- manual cockle fisheries
- placing fykes and duo fykes (eel, smelt and crabs)
- standing rigging, vertical nets with large mesh in which the fish are entangled (grey mullet and bass)
- sein fisheries, a long net which is wrapped around a school of fish and brought on board (grey mullet and bass)
- stow net, conical net held open by one or more horizontal beams below an anchored boat; lies in the current (eel smelt and sprat)
- hook net, baited lines (dab, flounder, bass and eel)
- 'weer' fisheries, long fences of nets or branches in a V-shape, placed in the ebb current (flatfish and grey mullet).

When approving the Structure Report for Sea and Coastal Fisheries in the spring of 1993, the Parliament also agreed to the permanent closure of 26% of the Wadden Sea and 15% of the Oosterschelde for the shellfish fisheries. More than half of the cockles in the Wadden Sea lay in the regions which were closed to the cockle fisheries. In addition, during poor cockle years, a minimum of 60 to 70% of the average amount of food necessary for the tidal flat birds needed to remain available for the birds. On the average, the cockle fisheries had an annual turnover of 45 to 68 million euros.

The mussel fisheries catch seed mussel and bring it to mussel banks to grow. In the spring, the mussels lay millions of eggs, which eventually attach themselves to suitable places. The fishermen gather the seed and bring it to places which suit them best. When the mussels are large enough, they are fished up once again and transported to the Oosterschelde, where the mussel pumps out all of the sand. When it is clean, the animal is fished up for the last time. Eventually, more than fifty million kilograms of mussels are brought on the market per year. In 1995, there were 94 mussel farming companies in the Netherlands. There are around 3100 hectares of mussel plots in the Wadden Sea.

Shrimp are caught along the North Sea coastline and in the Wadden Sea. Most are shelled on land or are sold in the shell freshly boiled. Per year, it is a matter of around eight million kilograms. More than half of the shrimp brought to the fish auctions come from the Wadden Sea. The shrimp fishing fleet in the Wadden Sea increased in size when the cod fishermen switched over to shrimp because the cod catches were declining in the Dutch coastal waters.

Fish are also caught on the tidal flats. Flatfish such as dab and flounder can be found in the deeper channels, although the amounts are minimum compared to what is caught in the North Sea. Eel is also caught with the help of fykes, and mullet, sea trout and salmon with standing rigging.

Lost Dutch fisheries

Momentarily, only animals are fished in the Wadden Sea. In earlier times, eelgrass was also harvested. It was good material for dike sheeting; it was also used to plug leaks and to fill mattresses and cushions. In those days, one mowed the eelgrass fields and all floating material was collected. The fishery was called seaweed fishing. Logically, this form of fishery disappeared with the disappearance of the eelgrass fields.

Even the fisheries for anchovies and whelks used to earn money. And up till the 1930s, one could also catch a lot of thornback rays and stingrays in the tidal channels. However, all of these species have since disappeared from the Wadden Sea, due to causes which will be discussed in the chapters dealing with the individual animal species.

Weblinks

Coastal fisheries in reality: how does one request a license? (dutch):
http://overheidsloket.overheid.nl/?tab=burger&th_id=37&st_id=238&keyword=&search_method=&p_id=400&scriptsup=true

Source: de Vleet, Ecomare