9th edition, No.3, November 2008

Dutch fish sector hosts international press

In November, the Dutch fish sector acted as host to a number of visiting journalists from various countries. Their visit commenced in Den Oever, a fishing village in the province of Noord-Holland, where the journalists were introduced to sustainable fish from the Wadden Sea.
Since the Wadden Sea is a nature conservation area, local fishermen use fishing techniques that affect nature and the environment as little as possible, such as standing rigging and purse seining. These fishing methods are not only sustainable: they also produce good-quality fish that entirely deserves the ‘Waddengoud’ (Wadden Gold) pictorial trademark. Species of fish caught include grey mullet, bass, North Sea shrimps, mussels, dab, smelt and gurnard.

Dutch eel trade

After visiting Den Oever, the journalists travelled to the northern Netherlands province of Friesland. Dutch traders transported live eel from Friesland to overseas cities (such as London) as early as the 14th century. Eel is still exported from the Netherlands.

The Dutch are famous for their smoked fish. This used to be a good way of preserving fish in bygone days. Today, however, fish is smoked because consumers in the Netherlands and abroad consider smoked eel, mackerel or herring a real delicacy. The method of smoking fish has remained unchanged: fish is smoked over a wood fire of pure oak and beech logs. The journalists were able to see this for themselves during a visit to a very modern smokehouse.

Future for Eel

While in Friesland, the journalists visited a number of places of interest, including an eel museum. Of course, they were also given information on present-day eel fishing and the eel trade, such as Future for Eel. This is a current initiative on the part of Dutch eel fishermen, eel farmers and fish-processing companies, whose aim is to make a joint contribution to the rehabilitation of the eel population by:

-  promoting scientific research;
-  instigating projects such as releasing silver eel;
-  providing information to consumers on sustainable eel and responsible consumption;
-  holding consultations with civic societies, government authorities and other interested parties;
-  recruiting funds to finance these projects;
-  expanding these activities to include other countries.

The journalists’ tour came to an end in Urk, which has been a major fishing village in the Netherlands for centuries. About 25 percent of the Dutch fishing fleet for flatfish and round fish is based in Urk. The construction of the IJsselmeer Dam meant that Urk was no longer accessible for all ships, so large fishing vessels now anchor at other harbours in the North Sea. The fish is transported by lorry to the fish auction in Urk, where it is sorted and then auctioned. Most of the fish sold by auction is taken to the hundred or so fish-processing companies in Urk. Dutch fish is exported from Urk to all parts of the world.