Decommissioning of the Dutch cutter sector
Impact analysis of management measures on the fishery

1 | Wageningen Economic Research Rapport 2023-068

Hamon, K.G., Hoekstra, F.F., Klok, A., Kraan, M., van der Veer, S., van Wonderen, D., Deetman, B., van Oostenbrugge, J.A.E., Taal, K., 2023. Decommissioning of
the Dutch cutter sector: Impact analysis of management measures on the fishery. Wageningen, Wageningen Economic Research, Rapport 2023-068. 68 pp.; 11 fig.;
14 tab.; 20 ref. ISBN 978-94-6447-718-4
This study is part of an overarching socio-economic impact analysis of policy decisions on and developments in fisheries. The central research question for this study
is: What are the socio-economic effects of the decommissioning scheme on the fisheries sector, the fish chain and fishing regions? Looking at the historical (20182021) activity of the vessels that were registered for scrapping, the expected effects of the removal of those vessels will mainly be felt in the beam trawl flatfish
fishery. The relative changes in landings of sole and plaice are expected to exceed the change in quota share due to Brexit. For cod this is less clear and there is a
risk that the landings decrease due to the exit of decommissioned vessels in a lesser proportion than the quota due to Brexit. The landings of pelagic species are not
expected to change due to the scheme given that no pelagic vessels registered for the scheme, while the share of post-Brexit quotas will go down. All Dutch fisheries
regions are expected to be impacted by the exit of scrapped vessels, either because a large part of the fleet is expected to be scrapped (as in Urk) or because a
large proportion of the Dutch landings is landed in those regions (as in Southwest Netherlands, Kop van Noord-Holland, Wadden Coast and IJmuiden).
Deze studie maakt deel uit van een overkoepelende impactanalyse van de sociaal-economische gevolgen van beleidsbeslissingen en ontwikkelingen voor de visserij.
De centrale onderzoeksvraag voor deze studie is: Wat zijn de sociaal-economische effecten van de sanering op de visserijsector, de visketen en de visserijregio’s?
Kijkend naar de historische (2018-2021) activiteiten van de vaartuigen die zich voor sloop hebben aangemeld, zullen de verwachte effecten van de sanering van die
vaartuigen vooral merkbaar zijn in de boomkorvisserij op platvis. De relatieve veranderingen in de aanvoer van tong en schol zullen naar verwachting groter zijn dan
de verandering in het quota-aandeel als gevolg van de Brexit. Voor kabeljauw is dit minder duidelijk en bestaat het risico dat de aanvoer als gevolg van de sanering
van vaartuigen minder sterk afneemt dan de afname van het quotum als gevolg van de Brexit. De aanvoer van pelagische soorten zal naar verwachting niet
veranderen als gevolg van de saneringsregeling, aangezien er geen pelagische vaartuigen voor de regeling zijn aangemeld, terwijl het quota-aandeel na de Brexit is
gedaald. Alle Nederlandse visserijregio’s zullen naar verwachting gevolgen ondervinden van de sanering van vaartuigen, hetzij omdat een groot deel van de vloot
naar verwachting zal worden gesloopt (zoals op Urk), hetzij omdat een groot deel van de Nederlandse aanvoer in die gebieden wordt aangeland (zoals in ZuidwestNederland, de Kop van Noord-Holland, de Waddenkust en IJmuiden).
Key words: BREXIT, decommissioning, Dutch cutter, fishery
This report can be downloaded for free at https://doi.org/10.18174/631351 or at www.wur.eu/economic-research (under Wageningen Economic Research
publications).
© 2023 Wageningen Economic Research
P.O. Box 29703, 2502 LS The Hague, The Netherlands, T +31 (0)70 335 83 30, E communications.ssg@wur.nl, http://www.wur.eu/economic-research. Wageningen
Economic Research is part of Wageningen University & Research.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License.

2 | Wageningen Economic Research Rapport 2023-068

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Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

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Contents
Preface................................................................................................. 6

3

Summary ............................................................................................. 7
S.1

Key question and framework of the study................................ 7

S.2

Half of the eligible cutter vessels registered for the

Scenario analysis ........................................................................ 28
3.1

vessels and reaction of the remaining fleet ............................ 28
3.2

reduction of quotas due to Brexit.......................................... 29

around the number of vessels that will actually decommission .... 7
Methodology ..................................................................... 10

Samenvatting...................................................................................... 12
S.1

Kernvraag en kader van het onderzoek ................................. 12

S.2

De helft van de kottervaartuigen die in aanmerking komt,

3.3

Cod could become choke species .......................................... 29

3.4

The expected landings of pelagic species remains unchanged
by the decommissioning scheme .......................................... 29

3.5
3.6

Methodologie .................................................................... 16

selected to decommission .................................................... 31
3.7

Decommissioning of the Dutch fishing fleet ..................................... 19

Increasing effort is limited but would still lead to a reduced
impact .............................................................................. 31

1.1

Background and objective ................................................... 19

1.2

Decommissioning scheme in the Dutch cutter fishery .............. 19

1.3

key research question ........................................................ 21

and fishing communities............................................................... 32

Approach.......................................................................... 21

4.1

1.4
2

Less decommissioned vessels means on average less impact
but high variability in impacts depending on the vessels

Glossary ............................................................................................. 18
1

The expected economic performance of the remaining cutter
fleet worsens ..................................................................... 30

heeft zich ingeschreven voor de saneringsregeling. ................. 12
S.3

The expected reduction of effort and landings due to the
decommissioning of flatfish beam trawlers exceeds the

decommissioning scheme although uncertainty remains
S.3

What-if scenarios with varying number of decommissioning

4

Almost half of the cutter vessels were eligible for the
decommissioning scheme ................................................... 22

2.2

Half of the eligible vessels registered for the scheme .............. 23

2.3

The beam-trawl flatfish fishery registered massively ............... 23

2.4

Larger, more active vessels registered for the

Links with on-land fishery cluster through the fish value chain
and the supply chain for the fishery ...................................... 32

Description of the vessels registered to be decommissioned .............. 22
2.1

Regional impact of the decommissioning scheme on the fish cluster

4.2

Expected changes in landing distribution to harbours ............... 37

4.3

12 home ports have vessels registered for the
decommissioning scheme .................................................... 41

4.4
5

Social impact per mainly affected region summarised .............. 42

Discussion.................................................................................. 44

decommissioning scheme ................................................... 23

5.1

Framework of the study ...................................................... 44

2.5

Average profitability, higher costs ........................................ 24

5.2

The Dutch decommissioning scheme: Fixed price per gross

2.6

Fishers perception of the consequences of the scheme ............ 25

4 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

ton, no added compensation for quotas ................................. 44
5.3

Use of scenarios to address some unknowns .......................... 45

5.4

Potential longer-term effects what will happen to the quota ...... 45

5.5

Impact to be felt in all fisheries regions ................................. 46

6

Conclusions ............................................................................... 48
6.1

Half of the eligible vessels registered for the decommissioning
scheme although uncertainty remains around the number of
vessels that will actually decommission ................................. 48

References.......................................................................................... 54
Appendix 1

Rules of the decommissioning .................................... 56

Appendix 2

Qualitative Methods .................................................. 58

Appendix 3

Quantitative Methods ................................................ 61

Appendix 4

Characteristics per fisheries region .............................. 63

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Preface
Dutch fisheries have been increasingly restricted in their activities in recent

We wish to thank the participants to the regional workshops for their

years by developments in (fisheries) policy on their fishing grounds in the

participation and the insights they shared with us. We would also like to thank

North Sea and beyond. While these developments will impact the Dutch fishery

the fishers who participated in our phone survey for their time and the

and its activities, the extent of the socio-economic impacts is still largely

experiential knowledge they shared with us. It helped us improve our

unclear and understudied. Furthermore, it is unknown how these changes in

assumptions.

policy and Dutch fisheries will translate into socioeconomic effects on the chain
and fishing communities.
Policy decisions, such as the North Sea Agreement, the Wadden Agenda, the
Cutter Vision and the Brexit, including area closures and restrictions in the use
of space by offshore wind farms, nitrogen legislation and nature reserves, have
major consequences for Dutch fisheries. The adopted motions Lodders and
Von Martels asked from the Lower House for an impact analysis of these policy
decisions for the Dutch fishery, the fish chain (including fish processing

Ir. O. (Olaf) Hietbrink

industry) and the economy of regions of which the North Sea fishery is an

Business Unit Manager Wageningen Economic Research

important part.

Wageningen University & Research

A part of this impact analysis is to look at the expected socio-economic impacts
of the decommissioning scheme of the Dutch cutter fleet. The decommissioning
scheme was open at the autumn of 2022 and will be finalised in July 2023. We
performed a scenario analysis of its short-term socio-economic effects on the
Dutch fishery, chain and local communities. In this report, we look at i) the
fishing capacity that was removed by the decommissioning using past data,
ii) the short-term effect on the remaining fleet using quantitative and
qualitative data and iii) the impact on the fishery cluster and fishing
communities.

6 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Summary
S.1

Key question and framework of the study

S.2

What are the socio-economic effects of the decommissioning scheme on the
fisheries sector, the fish chain and fishing regions? Registration for the
decommissioning scheme opened in September 2022 and closed in November
of the same year. Based on the list of vessels still registered for the
decommissioning scheme on 1 April 2023, the expected socio-economic
impacts were investigated by looking at i) the historical (2018-2021) fishing
activity of the registered1 vessels, ii) the potential response of the remaining
fleet and by looking at iii) changes in landings and in active vessels at the
regional level to estimate the impact on land.
Given the timeline of the project, to report in a timely manner to the Dutch
House of Representatives, and the data availability at the time the study was
conducted, the expected effects of the decommissioning scheme are
investigated using six what-if scenarios based on the historical activities of
2018-2021. Here, we do not project what would happen with and without the
decommissioning scheme in the current economic and regulatory context nor
do we investigate the factors leading to the decision to join the decommission
scheme or not. And although those questions could also be investigated, the
extra time needed would have jeopardised the desired completion date.

Half of the eligible cutter vessels registered
for the decommissioning scheme although
uncertainty remains around the number of
vessels that will actually decommission

The cutter fleet registered massively for the scheme
Out of the 146 vessels eligible2 for the scheme, 139 are cutters and 7 pelagic
trawlers. The eligible vessels are the cutter fleet targeting demersal fish in the
greater North Sea with beam trawls, otter trawls and flyshoot and the pelagic
fleet. The smaller vessels operating in the coastal areas, targeting shellfish or
shrimp are not eligible for the scheme. Half of the eligible cutter vessels,
71 out of our estimated 139, were registered to be scrapped on 1 April 2023
(hereafter called ‘registered vessels’), those vessels represent 24% of the
number of vessels in the cutter fleet and 13% of total Dutch fleet. This means
that up to a quarter of the Dutch cutter fleet is expected to leave the fishery
and the impact of the decommissioning of the registered fleet will be felt at the
national and regional level.
No pelagic vessel registered
Despite the fact that the decommissioning scheme was also open for the
pelagic fleet, none of the Dutch pelagic trawlers applied for the scheme. The
fixed price offered in the scheme per gross ton for vessels of that size was
estimated too low to be financially interesting.

1

Vessels that are registered whose registration is validated by government. The list of vessel
used in this report was updated in April 2023 after some vessels withdrew from the scheme.
The list is not definitive as vessels can withdraw from the scheme until the end of July 2023
(but no vessels could register after 30 November 2022), it therefore represents a ‘worsecase’ scenario in terms of highest reduction of the fleet.

2

We estimated eligibility against two of the criteria of the scheme, i.e. minimum 90 days
activity a year for two consecutive years over the 2018-2021 period and 20% of the landings
in the list of stocks impacted by the Brexit. Other criteria, including whether a vessel is
eligible due to penalty points were left out for privacy reasons. The 146 eligible vessels are
139 cutters and 7 pelagic trawlers.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

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Uncertainty remains on the actual number of vessels leaving

Flatfish landings in balance with post-Brexit quotas, unlike pelagic species

The actual number of vessels that will leave the fishery is still unknown at the
time the study was carried out but already 42 of those vessels (59% of the

The expected reduction of effort and landings due to the decommissioning of

registered vessels) were known to be scrapped and completely cease their

flatfish beam trawlers exceeds the reduction of quotas due to Brexit

activities and a representative of a producer organisation estimates that up to

Most of the flatfish beam trawl fleet (registered vessels represented 63% of

90% of the registered vessels are expected to stop.

the flatfish beam-trawl effort in the 2018-2021 period, see Figure S.1) is likely
to exit the fishery through the scheme, bringing the expected landings of

Unusual profile of vessels registered limits the risk to offset the effort and

flatfish in balance with the post-Brexit flatfish quotas. The Dutch share of North

catch of the scrapped vessels by increasing individual effort

Sea sole quotas will decrease by 13.3% in 2026 compared to pre-Brexit share
and the reduction in landings of our scenario ranges from a 63% reduction in

Larger, more active vessels registered for the decommissioning scheme

sole landings if all registered vessels stop and none of the rest of the fleet

While it is usually the older, less active vessels that are decommissioned first

increase their effort towards sole (see Table S.1) down to 32% if ‘only’ 80% of

in case studies found in literature, here, the registered vessels are actually

the registered vessels actually leave and the remaining vessels increase their

among the most active, most profitable of the cutter fleet. As a result, it is

activity. The expected reduction in landings is similar for North Sea plaice while

unlikely that the remaining vessels can increase their effort in such a way as to

the share of quotas will not be reduced by 2026. So except in a case of a

offset the effects of the exit of the registered vessels on the total effort and

drastic decrease of the total allowable catch, those quotas should be sufficient

catch.

for the remaining fleet.

The context at the time of the registration played a role in who

Cod could become choke species3

decommissioned

The risk that cod, for which the Dutch quota share will decrease by 19% in

At the time of registration, the fuel prices were at record high with a few

2026, becomes a choke species is limited but higher than for flatfish. In two of

months of high prices having already depleted the financial reserves of some

the six scenarios of this study, the landings decrease by a lower percentage

fishers, the last of the pulse licences stopped a year earlier, definitely closing

than the Dutch quota share decrease (15 and 18% landings decrease

the door to a technology that had allowed fishers to save substantially on fuel

compared to 19% for the quotas, see Table S.1), this coupled to the fact that

consumption, and the Dutch quotas for North Sea sole and plaice were largely

the Dutch quota for cod is almost fully used annually makes North Sea cod a

underused (less than half of the quotas was caught in 2021 and 2022). This

potential choke species.

context was particularly unfavourable for the flatfish fishery. Those vessels
already had the highest costs in the 2018-2021 period. With low catches and

The expected landings of pelagic species remains unchanged by the

increasing fuel costs not only is the profit of the vessel owners under pressure,

decommissioning scheme

but also the remuneration of the crew members decreases, making it difficult

The Dutch quota share of the important pelagic species herring, mackerel,

to retain or attract crew members.

horse mackerel and blue whiting will decrease by respectively 10.8%, 24.8%,
4.3% and 1.5%, however not a single pelagic vessel registered for the
decommissioning scheme. The unbalance between the post-Brexit quotas and
the pelagic capacity is therefore not improved through this scheme and the
likelihood of being a choke species is high for the pelagic stocks.

3

Choke species are those that have a low quota that, when exhausted, can cause a vessel to
stop fishing even if it still has quota for other species.

8 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

(https://www.denederlandsegrondwet.nl/id/vl4jbe9p1dvm/nieuws/2020_fishing_opportunitie
s_in_the?ctx=vg9pl1iqmsyi&tab=2).

The expected economic performance of the remaining cutter fleet was lower for
the registered vessels
Activity of the cutter fleet decreases in larger proportion than the number of
vessels in the fleet
The expected total activity (effort and landing figures) of the cutter fleet
decreases faster than the number of vessels because the registered vessels
were more at sea than the other cutters during the 2018-2021 period, they
landed more per unit of effort and the average price of their landings was also
higher. Even in the scenarios where the remaining fleet increases their effort,
the expected decrease in landings and value of landings was stronger than of
the vessels and effort.
Leading to lower profit for the cutter fishery
The registered vessels also had higher costs and much higher profit in the
2018-2021 period. Those were years when the pulse trawl was still used but
being phased out of the flatfish fishery and fuel prices were relatively low,
resulting in profitable years for the larger flatfish beam trawlers despite a
declining trend (Wageningen Economic Research 2022a). Removing the
positive economic result of those vessels, the total profit of the cutter fleet
decreases by 70% if all the registered vessel leave and the remaining fleet
Figure S.1 Expected change in effort per gear type in percentage for the six

does not react. However, given the development since 2021 (complete ban on

scenarios compared to the average historical effort 2018-2021

pulse, high fuel prices and low catchability of flatfish) it is likely that the
profitability of the registered vessels drastically decreased, and that the
decommissioning scheme prevented some bankruptcies.

Table S.1

Expected change in landings per species in percentage for the six

scenarios compared to the average historical landings 2018-2021. Only the

By removing the most profitable vessels, the average profitability of the

important demersal species are shown here, the pelagic fleet being unaffected

remaining fleet is lowered

by the decommissioning scheme, no change in landings as a result of the

The expected average individual profitability goes down in all scenarios. This is

decommissioning scheme is expected. *mean value for the scenario. Bold

primarily due to the selection of historically less profitable vessels in the

values represent decrease in landings below the change in quotas due to Brexit

remaining fleet. Increasing the effort of individual vessels led to improved

Historical Quota

100%-

landings

change no

2018-

due to

90%-no

80%- no 100%

90%

80%

individual profitability.

reaction* reaction* increasing increasing increasing

reaction

effort

effort*

effort*

2021 in t Brexit
Sole

-13

-63

-56

-50

-50

-41

-32

Plaice 20.424

7.029

0

-62

-56

-50

-48

-39

-31

Cod

-19

-29

-26

-23

-23

-18

-15

640

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Harbours in all regions will be impacted, either because the number of fishing

capacity to organise and fund fishing-related festivities (e.g. Vlaggetjesdag). If

vessels decreases or the landings decrease

this happens in a region already experiencing loss of job opportunities and
inhabitants moving out, this may hit harder, both in the fishery (chain) and for

Five out of the six regions will be seriously impacted by the reduction of the

tourism. At the same time we have seen in communities where fishing is not

cutter fleet

active anymore (or really small), that fishing can still remain important for the

Table 6.1 provides an overview of the socio-economic effects when Dutch

communities’ identity. This would require further research. The added value

cutters are decommissioned. Especially the fisheries regions Urk, Southwest

fishing has for society is linked to the way fishing is organised (Kraan et al.

Netherlands, Kop van Noord-Holland, Wadden Coast and IJmuiden are

2023). Three trends are good to mention in this respect: consolidation

expected to experience the largest social, economic and cultural negative

resulting in more fishing companies instead of owner-operator businesses,

effects due to the disappearance of many flatfish cutters after

foreign crew and continuous fishing. So although we cannot predict what will

decommissioning. See also Chapter 4 for a comprehensive analysis per

happen we do know that the configuration of the industry will change. The

fisheries region what the specialisation and characteristics of fish clusters and

current reorganisation of the fleet (mainly due to the decommissioning

fishing communities are per fisheries region. There are also many interactions

scheme) may lead to further consolidation, which means a further decline of

and spill over effects between the fish clusters of Dutch fisheries regions.

family businesses and skipper-owners, it may lead to further changes in fishing
rhythm (more continuous fishing) or in the social organisation of the crew:

Disappearing skills onboard and on land (processing industry) could be a

more foreign workers and/or less fishers fishing via the fisheries agreement

tipping point for the Netherlands

culture (which still is the standard). Each of these developments may have

The relatively large share of registered vessels in the total cutter fleet

‘side effects’ on how the fishery is organised and on what the fishery brings to

excluding shrimp in the above four fisheries regions will put pressure on the

whom. Whether these possible developments are a problem or not is a societal

national chain and infrastructure onshore for North Sea fisheries. It is expected

choice. It is recommended to monitor these developments as they have social

that the fish processing chain and technical and service supply industry will

consequences.

seek alternatives as far as possible such as fish sourced from elsewhere or
services in offer in other sectors. However, there is a risk that in the future the
Dutch fish clusters will no longer be equipped to process North Sea fish and
maintain or build cutters. If more food can be sustainably caught from the
North Sea (here: North Sea fish) in the future with a future-proof Dutch fishing
fleet, the question is whether there will be enough companies onshore that are
willing and able to process North Sea fish. This also applies to the technical and
service supply industry that may not have specialist knowledge in-house for
the maintenance and construction of cutters for food extraction in the North
Sea.
We cannot predict how the socio-cultural importance of fisheries will develop
over time for each of the fishing communities, nor what the social impact is of
the decline of the Dutch fleet per fishing community. What we do know is that
a decline in family businesses will affect the anchoring role these businesses
have in fishing communities. Also that a smaller active fleet may result in
further impacts on the fishing experience in communities as there will be less

10 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

S.3

Methodology

In this study we used combined quantitative and qualitative methods to
understand the changes expected with the implementation of the
decommissioning scheme.
Analysis of the short-term loss of fishing capacity (in terms of effort and
landings) based on the historical fishing activity of the registered vessels
To look at the recent activity of registered vessels, we used the list of
registered vessels provided to us by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency
(Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, RVO), logbook data containing
information of landings and effort per fishing trip and economic data collected
by Wageningen Economic Research. The logbook data was used to estimate
the catch and effort of the Dutch fleet and also to identify the eligibility of the
vessels in the fleet. We used data of the four years prior to the

decommissioning scheme (2018-2021) and looked at the level of activity of the

The scenarios were developed based on literature information and validated by

registered vessels in absolute terms and relatively to the eligible vessels ad to

the Dutch ministry and the fishing sector (in a phone survey).

the rest of the fleet in terms of vessel characteristics, effort, landings, value of
landings, costs and profit.

The effects of the scenarios on the species landings and the Dutch cutter fleet
are then investigated.

We also used relevant insights collected in regional meetings held in June 2022
in the different fishing regions of the Netherlands and in a survey of fishers,
fishers’ spouses and crew members collected between December 2022 and

Table S.2

January 2023 (see Kraan et al. 2023).

the decommissioning scheme

Analysis of the response in the fishing patterns of the remaining fleet and the

#

Description of the six scenarios regarding the short term effect of

Scenario name

because we cannot predict the future of the fishery we assessed the impact of

Reaction of remaining fleet

vessels actually

resulting economic performance of the fishery
The deadline for the vessels to withdraw from the scheme is 31 July 2023,

% of registered
scrapped

1

Base scenario: 100% - no

100%

No reaction

reaction

the decommissioning scheme on the Dutch fishery using what-if scenarios. The

2

90% - no reaction

90%

No reaction

scenarios tackle two uncertain aspects of the short term future of the fishery:

3

80% - no reaction

80%

No reaction

1) the actual number of vessels that will leave the fishery and 2) the

4

100% - effort increase

100%

Increased effort

behavioural response of the fleet in terms of effort see table S.2. We used

5

90% - effort increase

90%

Increased effort

three options as a sensitivity analysis for the actual number of vessels stopping

6

80% - effort increase

80%

Increased effort

(aspect 1) assuming that either 100% of the registered vessels would get
scraped (maximum case), 90% or 80%. This choice was made as it was
impossible to estimate a minimum case given that the likelihood of getting

Estimation of the impacts on land through changes in landings and in number

scraped fluctuated too much in time with external factors such as current fuel

of active vessels

price, fish price and level of catches. For the behavioural response (aspect 2),

The impacts on land in the fishery cluster is estimated per fisheries region

we assumed two options, either the remaining fleet would not react and the

forward in the chain by looking at the change in landings in the region and also

vessels would carry on at the historical level of effort and landings, or the

backward (on the supply chain) by looking at the number of active vessels

individual vessels would increase their effort of flatfish beam trawl and otter

registered in the harbours of each fisheries region. Those two dimensions

trawl up to the maximum annual effort observed in the past four years for

(landings and active vessels) are then interpreted in the light of the recent

vessels of the same size using the same gears. Both aspects where combined

studies by Hoekstra et al. (2023; Figure 4.3) and Kraan et al. (2023).

in six scenarios (see Table S.2).

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Samenvatting
S.1

Kernvraag en kader van het onderzoek

S.2

De kernvraag van dit onderzoek is: Wat zijn de sociaal-economische gevolgen
van de sanering voor de visserijsector, de visketen en de visserijregio’s?

De helft van de kottervaartuigen die in
aanmerking komt, heeft zich ingeschreven
voor de saneringsregeling.

De inschrijving voor de saneringsregeling werd geopend in september 2022 en
gesloten in november van hetzelfde jaar. Op basis van de lijst van vaartuigen

Hoeveel kotters daadwerkelijk van de regeling gebruik zullen maken, blijft nog

die op 1 april 2023 voor de saneringsregeling waren ingeschreven, is

onzeker. Dat is pas eind juli 2023 duidelijk. De 146 voor de regeling in

onderzocht wat de sociaal-economische gevolgen zullen zijn door te kijken

aanmerking5 komende vaartuigen zijn kotters (139) en pelagische trawlers (7).

naar

De kleinere vaartuigen die in de kustgebieden op schelpdieren of garnalen

i.

de historische visserijactiviteit van de geregistreerde4 vaartuigen,

ii.

de potentiële respons van de resterende vloot,

iii.

en de veranderingen in de aanvoer en in actieve vaartuigen op regionaal

De kottervloot heeft zich massaal ingeschreven voor de regeling

niveau om de nationale gevolgen in te schatten.

De kottervloot vist in de Noordzee op demersale vis met boomkorren,

vissen, komen niet voor de regeling in aanmerking.

bordentrawls en flyshoot. 71 van de 139 in aanmerking komende kotters stond
Gezien de korte doorlooptijd van het project om tijdig aan de Tweede Kamer te

op 1 april 2023 geregistreerd om te worden gesloopt. Deze schepen

kunnen rapporteren en de beschikbaarheid van gegevens op het moment dat

vertegenwoordigen 24% van het aantal schepen in de kottervloot en 13% van

de studie werd uitgevoerd, zijn de verwachte effecten van de sanering

de totale Nederlandse vloot6. Dat betekent dat naar verwachting tot een kwart

onderzocht aan de hand van zes what-if-scenario’s op basis van de historische

van de Nederlandse kottervloot de visserij zal verlaten, hetgeen zowel

activiteiten van 2018-2021. Hier wordt dus niet voorspeld wat er zou gebeuren

nationaal als regionaal impact zal hebben.

in een situatie met en zonder de sanering in de huidige economische en
regelgevende context noch wat de redenen zijn die tot de beslissing wel of niet

Geen geregistreerd pelagisch vaartuig

te saneren leiden.

Geen van de Nederlandse pelagische trawlers heeft zich voor de regeling
aangemeld. De vaste prijs per bruto ton in de regeling werd als te laag
ingeschat voor schepen van die omvang, om financieel interessant te zijn.

4

5

Geregistreerde vaartuigen waarvan de registratie door de overheid is gevalideerd. De in dit
verslag gebruikte lijst van vaartuigen is in april 2023 bijgewerkt nadat enkele vaartuigen zich
uit de regeling hadden teruggetrokken. De lijst is niet definitief omdat vaartuigen zich tot eind
juli 2023 uit de regeling kunnen terugtrekken (maar na 30 november 2022 kunnen geen
vaartuigen meer worden geregistreerd).
Wij hebben twee criteria gebruikt om welke voertuigen in aanmerking voor de regeling
kwamen te bepalen, namelijk minimaal 90 dagen activiteit per jaar gedurende twee

12 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

6

opeenvolgende jaren in de periode 2018-2021 en 20% van de aanvoer in de lijst van door de
Brexit getroffen bestanden. Andere criteria, waaronder de vraag of een vaartuig in
aanmerking komt vanwege strafpunten, zijn om privacyredenen weggelaten. De 146 in
aanmerking komende vaartuigen zijn 139 kotters en 7 pelagische trawlers.
Er zijn ook vaartuigen met een Nederlandse eigenaar maar onder buitenlandse vlag. De
gegevens van deze vloot zijn alle in de afslaggegevens meegenomen.

Er blijft onzekerheid bestaan over het werkelijke aantal schepen dat vertrekt

bemanningsleden, waardoor het moeilijk is bemanningsleden te behouden of

Het werkelijke aantal vaartuigen dat de visserij zal verlaten is ten tijde van de

aan te trekken.

uitvoering van het onderzoek nog onbekend, wel is zeker dat tot nu toe 42 van
de 71 geregistreerde kotter vaartuigen (dat is 59%) zullen worden gesloopt en

Aanvoer van platvis in evenwicht met post-Brexit-quota, in tegenstelling tot

hun activiteiten volledig zullen staken. Een vertegenwoordiger van een

pelagische soorten

producentenorganisatie schat dat naar verwachting tot 90% van de
geregistreerde vaartuigen zal stoppen.

De verwachte vermindering van de inspanning en de aanvoer als gevolg van de
sanering7 van boomkorkotters voor platvis, is groter dan de vermindering van

Het ongewone profiel van de geregistreerde vaartuigen beperkt het risico dat

de quota als gevolg van de Brexit

de inspanning en de vangst van de gesloopte vaartuigen gecompenseerd kan

Het grootste deel van de platvis boomkorvloot (de geregistreerde vaartuigen

worden door een verhoging van de individuele inspanning

vertegenwoordigden 63% van de platvis boomkorvloot-inspanning in de
periode 2018-2021) zal waarschijnlijk via de regeling aan de visserij worden

Grotere, actievere vaartuigen geregistreerd voor de saneringsregeling

onttrokken, waardoor de verwachte aanvoer van platvis in overeenstemming

In de literatuur gaat het meestal om de oudere, minder actieve vaartuigen die

komt met de quota die resteren na overdracht aan het VK. Het Nederlandse

het eerst gesaneerd worden. Uit de data over de geregistreerde vaartuigen

aandeel in de tongquota voor de Noordzee zal in 2026 met 13,3% afnemen ten

blijkt dat ze in de periode 2018-2021 tot de meest actieve, toen meest

opzichte van het aandeel van vóór de Brexit in de aannames die zijn gedaan.

winstgevende vaartuigen van de kottervloot behoorden. Bijgevolg is het

Een vermindering van de aanvoer van tong varieert 63% (als alle

onwaarschijnlijk dat de overblijvende vaartuigen hun inspanning zoveel kunnen

geregistreerde vaartuigen stoppen en geen van de overblijvende vaartuigen de

verhogen dat de effect van sanering van de geregistreerde schepen op

inspanning voor tong verhoogt) tot 32% (als ‘slechts’ 80% van de

inspanning en vangst wordt gecompenseerd.

geregistreerde vaartuigen daadwerkelijk saneert én de resterende vaartuigen
hun activiteit verhogen). De verwachte vermindering van de aanvoer voor

De context ten tijde van de registratie speelde een rol bij wie zich aanmeldde

Noordzeeschol is vergelijkbaar met Noordzeetong, terwijl het aandeel van de

voor de sanering

quota tegen 2026 niet zal worden verminderd. Dus behalve in het geval van

Toen de saneringsregeling open stond waren de brandstofprijzen zeer hoog en

een drastische verlaging van de totaal toegestane vangst, zouden die quota

enkele maanden van hoge prijzen hadden de financiële reserves van sommige

voldoende moeten zijn voor de resterende vloot.

vissers al uitgeput. Een jaar eerder waren de laatste pulsvergunningen
verlopen door het verbod op de pulsvisserij. Hierdoor was de deur definitief

Kabeljauw zou choke-species8 kunnen worden

gesloten voor een technologie waarmee de tongvissers aanzienlijk op hun

Het risico dat kabeljauw, waarvoor het Nederlandse quotum-aandeel in 2026

brandstofverbruik en dus energiekosten konden besparen. Ook waren de

met 19% zal dalen, een choke-species wordt, is beperkt maar groter dan voor

Nederlandse quota voor tong en schol in de Noordzee grotendeels onderbenut

platvis. In twee van de zes scenario’s die in deze studie besproken zijn, daalt

(minder dan de helft van de quota werd in 2021 en 2022 gevangen). Deze

de aanvoer met een lager percentage dan de daling van het Nederlandse

context was bijzonder ongunstig voor de platvisvisserij. Deze vaartuigen

quotum-aandeel (15 en 18% daling van de aanvoer vergeleken met 19% voor

hadden gemiddeld in de periode 2018-2021 al hogere kosten dan de rest van

het quotum), dit gekoppeld aan het feit dat het Nederlandse quotum voor

de kottervloot. Bij lage vangsten en stijgende brandstofkosten staat niet alleen

kabeljauw jaarlijks bijna volledig wordt gebruikt, maakt van

de winst van de reders onder druk, maar daalt ook de beloning van de

Noordzeekabeljauw een potentiële choke-species, dat wil zeggen dat …...

7

8

De ongunstige situatie zou mogelijk ook zonder sanering geleid hebben tot stoppende vissers,
maar dit valt buiten het kader van dit onderzoek.

Als de quota van deze soorten eerder benut zijn dan de andere quota moet de visserij
voortijdig worden gestopt en kunnen de quota voor andere soorten niet volledig worden
benut (Buisman et al. 2013).

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 13

De verwachte aanvoer van pelagische soorten blijft door de saneringsregeling

Tabel S.1

ongewijzigd

de zes scenario’s ten opzichte van de gemiddelde historische aanvoer 2018-

Verwachte verandering in de aanvoer per soort in procenten voor

Het Nederlandse quotum-aandeel van de belangrijkste pelagische soorten

2021. Alleen de belangrijke demersale soorten zijn hier weergegeven;

haring, makreel, horsmakreel en blauwe wijting zal dalen met respectievelijk

aangezien de pelagische vloot niet wordt beïnvloed door de sanering, wordt

10,8%, 24,8%, 4,3% en 1,5%. Het gebrek aan evenwicht tussen het quotum

geen verandering in de aanvoer als gevolg van de sanering verwacht.

na de Brexit en de pelagische capaciteit wordt door deze regeling dus niet

*gemiddelde waarde voor het scenario. Vetgedrukte waarden staan voor een

verbeterd en de kans is groot dat deze soorten choke-species en beperkend

daling van de aanvoer onder de verandering in de quota als gevolg van de

voor de Nederlandse vloot worden.

Brexit
Historische Verandering 100%- 90%-

80%-

100%

aanvoer

geen

verhoging verhoging verhoging

in quotum-

2018-2021 aandeel
in t

geen

geen

reactie reactie reactie van de

vanwege

90%
van de

80%
van de

*

*

inspanning inspanning inspanning
*

*

Tong

7.029

Brexit
-13

-63

-56

-50

-50

-41

-32

Schol

20.424

0

-62

-56

-50

-48

-39

-31

Kabeljauw

640

-19

-29

-26

-23

-23

-18

-15

De verwachte economische prestaties van de resterende kottervloot
verslechteren
De activiteit van de kottervloot neemt af in grotere mate dan het aantal
vaartuigen in de vloot
De verwachte totale activiteit (inspanning en aanvoer) van de kottervloot
neemt meer af dan het aantal vaartuigen omdat de geregistreerde vaartuigen
meer op zee waren dan de andere kotters in de periode 2018-2021, zij meer
aanvoerden per inspanningseenheid en de gemiddelde prijs van hun aanvoer
ook hoger was. Zelfs in de scenario’s waarin de resterende vloot haar
inspanning verhoogt, is de verwachte daling van de aanvoer en van de waarde
van de aanvoer sterker dan die van het aantal vaartuigen en de inspanning.
Minder winst voor de kottervisserij
Figuur S.1 Verwachte procentuele verandering van de inspanning per

De geregistreerde vaartuigen hadden weliswaar gemiddeld genomen hogere

vistuigtype voor de zes scenario’s ten opzichte van de gemiddelde historische

kosten, ze maakten ook veel meer winst in de periode 2018-2021. Dit waren

inspanning 2018-2021

jaren waarin de pulskor nog werd gebruikt maar geleidelijk uit de
platvisvisserij werd genomen en de brandstofprijzen relatief laag waren, wat
resulteerde in winstgevende jaren voor de grotere platviskotters ondanks een
dalende trend (Wageningen Economic Research 2022a). Door het positieve

14 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

economische resultaat van die vaartuigen weg te nemen, daalt de totale winst

Het verdwijnen van vaardigheden aan boord en aan land (verwerkende

van de kottervloot met 70% als alle geregistreerde vaartuigen vertrekken en

industrie) zou voor Nederland een kantelpunt kunnen zijn

de resterende vloot haar visserijpatroon niet verandert. Gezien de ontwikkeling

De verwachting is dat de visverwerkende keten en de technische en

sinds 2021 (volledig verbod op puls, hoge brandstofprijzen en geringe

dienstverlenende sector zoveel mogelijk alternatieven zullen zoeken, zoals vis

vangbaarheid van platvis) is het echter waarschijnlijk dat de rentabiliteit van

die van elders wordt betrokken of diensten die in andere sectoren worden

de geregistreerde vaartuigen drastisch is gedaald en dat de sanering een

aangeboden. Het risico bestaat echter dat de Nederlandse visclusters in de

aantal faillissementen heeft voorkomen.

toekomst niet meer zijn toegerust op het verwerken van Noordzeevis en het
onderhouden en bouwen van kotters. Als er in de toekomst meer Noordzeevis

Doordat de meest winstgevende schepen mogelijk stoppen, daalt de

kan worden gevangen, is het de vraag of er aan land voldoende bedrijven zijn

gemiddelde winstgevendheid van de resterende vloot

die Noordzeevis willen en kunnen verwerken. Dit geldt ook voor de technische

De verwachte gemiddelde individuele rentabiliteit gaat in alle scenario’s

en dienstverlenende industrie die wellicht geen specialistische kennis in huis

omlaag. Dit is voornamelijk het gevolg van de selectie van historisch minder

heeft voor het onderhoud en de bouw van kotters voor de voedselwinning op

rendabele vaartuigen in de resterende vloot. Een verhoging van de inspanning

de Noordzee.

van individuele schepen leidt tot een betere individuele rentabiliteit.
We kunnen niet voorspellen hoe het sociaal-culturele belang van visserij zich in
De havens in alle regio’s zullen gevolgen ondervinden, hetzij omdat het aantal

de loop der tijd voor elk van de visserijgemeenschappen zal ontwikkelen, noch

vissersvaartuigen afneemt, hetzij omdat de aanvoer vermindert

wat de sociale gevolgen precies zijn van de inkrimping van de Nederlandse
vloot per visserijgemeenschap. Wat we wel weten is dat een afname van het

Vijf van de zes regio’s, Urk, Zuidwest-Nederland, Kop van Noord-Holland,

aantal familiebedrijven gevolgen zal hebben voor de verankerende rol die deze

Waddenkust en IJmuiden, ondervinden de meeste sociale, economische en

bedrijven in de visserijgemeenschappen spelen. Ook kan een kleinere actieve

culturele gevolgen van de inkrimping van de kottervloot

vloot verdere gevolgen hebben voor de visserijbeleving in de

Tabel 6.1 geeft een overzicht van de sociaal-economische effecten wanneer

gemeenschappen, aangezien er minder capaciteit zal zijn om

Nederlandse kotters uit de vaart worden genomen. Zie ook hoofdstuk 4 voor

visserijgerelateerde festiviteiten (bijvoorbeeld Vlaggetjesdag) te organiseren

een beschrijving van de kenmerken van de visclusters en

en te financieren. Als dit gebeurt in een krimpregio kan deze impact relatief

visserijgemeenschappen per visserijregio. Naast deze specifieke kenmerken,

groter zijn, zowel in de visserij(keten) als voor het toerisme. Tegelijkertijd

zijn er ook veel interacties en overloopeffecten tussen de visclusters van de

hebben we gezien dat in gemeenschappen waar de visserij niet meer actief is

Nederlandse visserijregio’s. Als te veel visclusters en visserijregio’s worden

(of echt klein), de visserij toch belangrijk kan blijven voor de identiteit van de

geminimaliseerd in termen van actieve bedrijven aan land maar ook ten

gemeenschap.

aanzien van de gespecialiseerde kennis, zal dit op nationaal niveau zijn
weerslag hebben op de aanvoer en verwerking van Noordzeevis. Bij een sterke

De meerwaarde van de visserij voor de samenleving hangt samen met de wijze

reductie van de vloot per visserijgemeenschap komen ook de sociale en

waarop de visserij is georganiseerd (Kraan et al. 2023). Drie trends zijn in dit

culturele tradities (zoals kennis en vakmanschap) onder druk te staan. Als

verband te noemen: consolidatie van visserij bedrijven met als gevolg meer

zulke van generatie op generatie overgedragen kennis verdwijnt, zal het niet

rederijen met schippers in loondienst in plaats van schipper-eigenaar

makkelijk terug keren, hooguit is het beschreven en getoond als cultureel

familiebedrijven, een toename van buitenlandse opvarenden (in loondienst) en

erfgoed in musea.

continue visserij. Hoewel we dus niet kunnen voorspellen wat er zal gebeuren,
weten we wel dat de configuratie van de sector zal veranderen. De huidige
afname van de vloot (voornamelijk als gevolg van de saneringsregeling) kan
leiden tot verdere consolidatie, wat een verdere afname van familiebedrijven

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 15

en schipper-eigenaren betekent, het kan leiden tot verdere veranderingen in

Analyse van de reactie in de visserijpatronen van de overblijvende vloot en de

het visritme (meer continu vissen) of in de sociale organisatie van de

daaruit voortvloeiende economische prestaties van de visserij

bemanning: meer buitenlandse werknemers en of minder vissers die vissen via

De uiterste datum waarop de vaartuigen uit de regeling moeten stappen is

de visserijovereenkomstcultuur (die nog steeds de norm is). Elk van deze

31 juli 2023. Omdat wij de toekomst van de visserij niet kunnen voorspellen,

ontwikkelingen kan ‘neveneffecten’ hebben op de wijze waarop de visserij is

hebben wij het effect van de sanering op de Nederlandse visserij beoordeeld

georganiseerd en op wat de visserij voor wie oplevert. Of deze ontwikkelingen

aan de hand van what-if-scenario’s. ‘De scenario’s hebben betrekking op twee

gewenst zijn, is een maatschappelijke keuze. Het verdient aanbeveling deze

onzekere aspecten van de toekomst van de visserij op korte termijn: 1) het

ontwikkelingen te volgen omdat ze sociale consequenties hebben.

werkelijke aantal vaartuigen dat de visserij zal verlaten en 2) de
gedragsreactie van de vloot in termen van inspanning, zie tabel S.2.

S.3

Methodologie

In deze studie is een combinatie gebruikt van kwantitatieve en kwalitatieve
methoden om zicht te krijgen op de verwachte veranderingen als gevolg van
de sanering.
Analyse van het verlies aan vangstcapaciteit op korte termijn (in termen van
inspanning en aanvoer) op basis van de historische visserijactiviteit van de
geregistreerde vaartuigen
We hebben gebruikgemaakt van de lijst van geregistreerde vaartuigen die ons
door de Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) is verstrekt, om de
recente activiteit van de geregistreerde vaartuigen te bekijken. Het gaat om de
logboekgegevens, met informatie over de aanvoer en de inspanning per visreis
en om economische gegevens die door Wageningen Economic Research zijn
verzameld. De logboekgegevens zijn gebruikt om de vangst en de inspanning
van de Nederlandse vloot te schatten. We gebruikten gegevens van de vier
jaar voorafgaand aan de sanering (2018-2021). Daarmee brachten we in beeld
wat de visserijactiviteit was van de geregistreerde vaartuigen, zowel absoluut
als in verhouding tot de in aanmerking komende vaartuigen ten aanzien van de
vaartuigkenmerken, inspanning, aanvoer, waarde van de aanvoer, kosten en
winst.
Daarnaast hebben we gebruikgemaakt van de regionale bijeenkomsten die in
juni-augustus 2022 gehouden zijn in de verschillende visserijregio’s van
Nederland en van een enquête onder vissers (zowel schipper-eigenaren en
bemanning) en vrouwen van vissers die tussen december 2022 en
januari 2023 is gehouden (zie Kraan et al. 2023).

16 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Als gevoeligheidsanalyse voor het werkelijke aantal vaartuigen dat stopt
(aspect 1) hebben wij drie opties gebruikt: ofwel 100% van de geregistreerde
vaartuigen wordt gesaneerd (maximale situatie), ofwel 90% of 80%. Deze
keuze werd gemaakt omdat het onmogelijk was een minimumgeval te
schatten, aangezien de kans om gesaneerd te worden van week tot week
fluctueert met externe factoren zoals de huidige brandstofprijs, de visprijs en
het vangstniveau. Voor de gedragsreactie (aspect 2) gingen wij uit van twee
mogelijkheden: ofwel zou de resterende vloot niet reageren en zouden de
vaartuigen doorgaan op het historische inspannings- en aanlandingsniveau,
ofwel zouden de afzonderlijke vaartuigen hun inspanning voor platvis met de
boomkor en de bordentrawl verhogen tot de maximale jaarlijkse inspanning die
in de afgelopen vier jaar is waargenomen voor vaartuigen van dezelfde
omvang en met hetzelfde vistuig. Beide aspecten werden gecombineerd in zes
scenario’s (zie tabel S.2).
De scenario’s werden ontwikkeld op basis van literatuurinformatie en
gevalideerd door het Nederlandse ministerie van LNV en de visserijsector (de
laatste door middel van een telefonische enquête).
Vervolgens zijn de effecten van de scenario’s op de aanvoer van soorten en op
de Nederlandse kottervloot onderzocht.

Tabel S.2

Beschrijving van de zes scenario’s met betrekking tot het

kortetermijneffect van de sanering
# Naam scenario

% daadwerkelijk

Reactie resterende

gesloopte

vloot

geregistreerde
vaartuigen
1

Basisscenario: 100%-geen reactie

100%

Geen reactie

2

90% - geen reactie

90%

Geen reactie

3

80%-geen reactie

80%

Geen reactie

4

100% - verhoging van de inspanning

100%

Verhoging van de

5

90% - verhoging van de inspanning

90%

6

80% - verhoging van de inspanning

80%

inspanning
Verhoging van de
inspanning
Verhoging van de
inspanning

Raming van de gevolgen voor het land door veranderingen in de aanvoer en in
het aantal actieve vaartuigen
De effecten op land in de visserijclusters in de visketen worden per
visserijregio geschat door te kijken naar de verandering in de aanvoer in de
regio en door te kijken naar het aantal actieve vaartuigen dat in de havens van
elke visserijregio is geregistreerd. Die twee dimensies (aanvoer en actieve
vaartuigen) worden vervolgens geïnterpreteerd in het licht van de recente
studies van Hoekstra et al. (2023) en Kraan et al. (2023).

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 17

Glossary
• Fisheries region = the regions with a clearly present fishing cluster, fishing
ports with upstream industry and trade and processing, and associated
fishing municipalities and communities. The following six fisheries regions are

status of the vessel (owner) such as date of registration of a vessel in the
fleet registry or the existence of penalty points for a vessel owner.
• Eurocutter: Smaller (familiar with shrimp cutters) or medium-sized cutters

defined in this study called ‘Impact analysis of policy measures on the chain

with a length no longer than 28 metres. Main applied fisheries techniques are

of Dutch fishing regions’ (Quirijns et al. 2019):

beam trawling targeting flat fish (often sole) or seasonally brown shrimp and

- Wadden coast or Waddenkust (provinces of Friesland and Groningen)

for specific vessels twinrig and quadrig as technique to target nephrops and

- Kop van Noord Holland (including Den Helder, Texel, Den Oever,

flat fish species such as plaice. The maximum engine power of these vessels

Wieringen)

is 221 kW, except for some cutters whose owners decided to focus on

- IJmuiden

techniques such as twinrig and quadrig and therefore decided to increase the

- Katwijk/Scheveningen

engine power. They have thereby given up the possibility of fishing within

- Southwest Netherlands (including Stellendam, Ouddorp, Goedereede,

the 12-mile zone (Quirijns et al. 2019).

Vlissingen, Arnemuiden, Breskens)
- Urk.
• Fishery cluster also called fishing cluster = the fishing industry, the
supply industry (shipbuilding, energy, etc.), and the processing industry
(auctions, transport, processing, trade).
• Logbook data data of landings per fishing trip including identifier of vessels,
gear used, species caught.
• VMS data GPS coordinates of fishing vessels with vessel identifier, speed
and direction of the vessel.
• Registered vessels: vessels that are registered whose registration is
validated by government. The list of vessel used in this report was updated
in April 2023 after some vessels withdrew from the scheme. The list is not
definitive as vessels can withdraw from the scheme until the end of July
2023 (but no vessels could register after the 30th November 2022), it
therefore represent a ‘worse-case’ scenario in terms of highest reduction of
the fleet.
• Eligible vessels: vessels that based on their previous activity (minimum
90 days activity a year for two consecutive years over the 2018-2021 period
and 20% of the landings in the list of stocks impacted by the Brexit, see
Appendix 1) were deemed eligible for the decommissioning scheme. The
eligibility criteria does not take into account the administrative and legal

18 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

1

Decommissioning of the Dutch fishing fleet

1.1

Background and objective

The Dutch fishing industry has been increasingly constrained in recent years by

• Sociale en culturele waarde van visserij voor de visserijgemeenschap: en
gevolgen van beleidswijzigingen (Kraan et al. 2023)
• Impact analysis of the decommissioning schemes on the cutter and shrimp
fisheries9: What are the socio-economic effects of the two decommissioning

developments in fisheries policy and other policies affecting the fisheries (such

schemes on the fishing cluster?

as the Brexit or offshore energy development). The economic consequences of
these developments for the fishing industry are not clear, nor is it clear how
these changes in policy and the fishing industry translate into socio-economic
effects on the fish chain and in fishing regions. In response to two motions
from the House of Representatives, a project was developped aiming to answer
the question: what are the socio-economic effects of policy on the fisheries
sector, the fish chain and fishing regions?
The Lodders and Von Martels motions (House of representatives Dossiers
number 33450/84 and 33450/93 [in Dutch]) call for an impact analysis of the
North Sea Agreement, the Wadden Agenda, the Cutter Vision and the Brexit,
including area closures/restrictions due to offshore wind farms and nature
reserves, for the fishing industry, the fish chain (including fish processing
industry) and the economy of regions where Dutch cutter fishery is an

This report presents the results of our study to determine the potential socioeconomic effects of the 2023 decommissioning scheme for the Dutch (cutter)
fleet. The decommissioning scheme follows the decision of the United Kingdom
to leave the EU (Brexit). Fisheries held a symbolic role leading to Brexit (as
they British fishers were largely in favour of leaving the EU (Stewart et al.
2022). As such, the UK negotiated resolutely for its fishers,10 leaving EU fishers
largely disappointed and greatly impacted. As a result of the large expected
impacts of the Brexit on EU fisheries, The Netherlands and other Member
States opened decommissioning schemes to balance the capacity of their
fishing fleets with the post Brexit catch opportunities.

1.2

important sector (hereafter referred to as fishing regions). Following these
motions, the Ministry of LNV asked Wageningen Economic Research to carry
out this socio-economic impact analysis.
Within this impact analysis project, several socio-economic studies are planned
to analyse the effects of policy. A total of three studies were planned in the
first phase of this research project. The following reports are planned within
this two-year impact analysis (2022/2023):
• Baseline measurement of fish cluster structure and dependencies: How large
are the regional fish clusters and how do they depend on the fishing sector?
(Hoekstra et al. 2023)
9

See Hamon et al. (2023) for the impact of the Wadden Sea shrimp licence decommissioning
scheme.

Decommissioning scheme in the Dutch cutter
fishery

A decommissioning scheme to bring the fleet capacity in balance with postBrexit quota
Two main aspects of the agreement negotiated between the EU and the UK
following the Brexit vote i.e. the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) will
impact Dutch fishers: access to UK waters could become restricted in the
future for all or specific gears, and new quota shares for 105 fish quotas are
being phased in between 2021 and 2026 with the UK increasing their share for
most of them. In an attempt to limit the impacts caused by the withdrawal of

10

Despite the gain reached by those negotiations, the UK fishers also ended disappointed as the
results remained far from the promises of the Brexit ‘leave’ campaign.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 19

the UK of the EU on fisheries, the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR)11 was

Other conditions on date of registration of the vessel on the fleet registry and

implemented to allow Member States to support economic sectors dependent

general eligibility for subsidies also apply for this scheme. This would mean

on fishing activities in the UK waters. This decommissioning scheme falls under

that fewer vessels are actually eligible than our estimates if some of the

one of three tracks developed by the Dutch government under the BAR

vessels that we deemed eligible have received some penalty points or if

‘schemes specifically for the affected Dutch fishing industry’. The aim of the

vessels changed owner after the specified date. Because those are harder for

scheme is to bring the fleet capacity in line with the quotas remaining after

us to estimate than the activity criteria due to the sensitive nature of the data,

transfers of (Dutch) quotas to the UK (see quota share mutation Table 1.1).

in the rest of this report, an eligible vessel is defined only on the basis of the

For the restructuring of the fleet a total budget of €155m was made available.

two eligibility criteria mentioned above (90 seadays a year and 20% of
landings from the species list).

Table 1.1

Mutation to the Dutch quota share of important commercial

The scheme used fixed compensation prices on the basis of gross tonnage

species as a result of the Brexit (Source: Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature

The amount received per vessel is only dependent on the gross tonnage of the

and Food Quality)

vessel, but it is based on the total value of the average fishing unit (including
Fish stock

the value of the accompanying licences and individual transferable quotas). In

Change in quota share

the scheme text, three categories of vessels are separated, the small cutters,

2020-2026

the large cutters and the pelagic freezer trawlers (see Table A1.2 in Appendix 1

Demersal

North Sea sole

-13.3%

Demersal

North Sea cod

-19%

Demersal

North Sea plaice

0%

Pelagic

Herring (ICES 1, 2 and 4a&b)

-10.8%

Pelagic

Mackerel

-24.8%

vessels, the compensation is not adjusted for the size of the individual

Pelagic

Horse mackerel

-4.3%

transferable quotas of the individual applicant.

Pelagic

Blue whiting

-1.5%

for the value per gross ton) with decreasing value per gross ton as the vessels
get larger. While the individual quotas12 held on the decommissioned vessels
by 21 June 2022 have to be returned to the government together with the

The decision to register for the scheme in an economically difficult and
uncertain context
Who can benefit from the decommissioning scheme?

The registration for the decommissioning scheme was opened on

A vessel owner who decides to permanently cease fishing activities with a

1 September 2022 and closed on 30 November 2022. The scheme opened at a

fishing vessel by scrapping it can take part in the scheme. However, there are

time when a lot of other factors made the future of fisheries uncertain due to

some conditions to being able to benefit from the scheme (see Staatscourant

declining space, European and societal pressure to reduce bottom trawling, lack

2022 no. 19616 25 July 2022 for the full list of eligibility criteria), including the

of succession and, above all, high fuel prices due to the war in Ukraine.

following:

Registered vessels are from owners who, in those uncertain times, decided to

• The vessel has been active 90 days a year in two consecutive years in the

keep the option of exiting the fishery through the scheme. Yet, not all vessels

2018-2021 period
• At least 20% of the landings of the vessel comes from a list of specific stocks
(see Table A1.1 in Appendix 1 for the list of the species and areas).

initially registered were still on the list in April 2023 when Wageningen Economic
Research received the list from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). While
some turned out not to be eligible for the scheme, others decided to find
alternative paths for their vessels. The list used in this report was set on
1 April 2023, but likely contains more vessels than will eventually get scrapped

11

The Brexit Adjustment Reserve is a European fund meant to compensate the effect of Brexit
for affected businesses.

20 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

12

This includes quotas for North Sea sole, North Sea plaice, North Sea cod, Whiting, herring
and horse mackerel.

through the decommissioning scheme. The final list will only be known by 31 July
2023 which is the ultimate date of scrapping for decommissioned vessels.

1.3

key research question

The key question of this study is:
What are the socio-economic effects of the decommissioning scheme on the
fisheries sector, the fish chain and fishing regions?
The decommissioning of 2023 will impact the fishing industry itself and also the
processing industry and fishing communities. Based on the information on the
registered vessels, the potential regional impact of the decommissioning is
estimated. To identify these impacts, the following analyses have been carried
out:
1. An analysis of the short-term loss of fishing capacity (in terms of effort and
landings) based on the historical fishing activity of the registered vessels.
2. An analysis of the response in the fishing patterns of the remaining fleet
and the resulting economic performance of the fishery. This analysis is
based on a quantitative analysis of catch and effort patterns from logbook
data, economic data collected by Wageningen Economic Research
(Bedrijveninformatienet), and a scenario analysis. The scenarios looked at
two dimensions: the amount of vessels actually decommissioning, and the
possible reaction of the remaining fleet. The relevance of the scenarios
were checked both with the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food
Quality and with fishers. The latter was done with a short phone survey
(see Appendix 2).
3. Based on the results of this analysis and the dependencies found in the

1.4

Approach

The analysis of the socio-economic impacts of the decommissioning of the Dutch
vessels as part of the BAR was done using a combination of mixed qualitative
and quantitative methods described below. Given the sensitivity of the topic and
the information used in the report, we only requested feedback and inputs on
our assumptions as opposed to a more holistic collaborative approach as done in
the analysis of the decommissioning scheme of the shrimp fishery (Hamon et al.
2023). We used input from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food
Quality (in the writing of the proposal, the framing of the study and the scenario
definition), from literature (mainly Squires 2010; and Curtis and Jones 2016),
from previous studies in this project (see Hoekstra et al. 2023; and Kraan et al.
2023) and from regional meetings with the fishers and an online questionnaire
(see Appendix 2). Based on those insights and the analysis of logbook data, a
first version of the scenarios was developed. In those scenarios, different
number of vessels decommissioning have been tested from 100% of the
registered vessels, down to 90 and 80%. Two reactions of the fleet were
envisaged, no reaction and an increase in effort. The scenarios were then
checked with active fishers in a phone survey (see Appendix 2) and then used to
assess the potential effect of the decommissioning scheme on the fishery.
The analysis of the withdrawn fishing capacity (sub-question 1) was done using
insights from the fishery collected in regional meetings between June and
August 2022 (see Appendix 2) and a quantitative analysis of the previous
activity of the vessels of the Dutch cutter fleet based on their decommissioning
status. In a first step, the past activity is analysed for four years prior to the
implementation of the decommissioning scheme (2018 to 2021).

other sectors and on fishing communities (see the reports ‘Baseline

The analysis of the response of the remaining fleet (sub-question 2) was done
using a number of scenarios. The scenarios were developed based on literature

measurement of fish cluster structure and dependencies’ [in Dutch],

information and validated by the Dutch ministry and the fishing sector.

Hoekstra et al. 2023; and ‘Social and cultural value of fisheries for
communities’ [in Dutch] Kraan et al. 2023), the effects on the other parts
of the regional fish clusters and regions are qualitatively estimated.

The effects of the decommissioning scheme on the other parts of the regional
fish clusters and regions is discussed (sub-question 3) based on estimations of
changes in the fishery following the scheme and insights gained in earlier part
of the study (Hoekstra et al. 2023; and Kraan et al. 2023).
The results of the three analyses are shown in the next three sections, the
detailed methodology is described in Appendices 2,3 and 4.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 21

2

Description of the vessels registered to be
decommissioned

2.1

Almost half of the cutter vessels were
eligible for the decommissioning scheme

Out of the annual average of 291 active cutter vessels in the Dutch fleet over
the 2018-2021 period, 139 were eligible for the scheme according to our
calculation (with seadays and landings composition criteria). This represents
48% of the cutter fleet of those years (Table 2.1).
In addition to the cutter fleet, the pelagic trawlers were also eligible for the
decommissioning scheme, but the financial compensation offered to those
vessels (€71 per gross ton, see Table A1.2 in Appendix 1) proved not to be
attractive for these pelagic companies. For the remainder of the analysis we
will hence focus mainly on the cutter fishery as the one mainly impacted by
the decommissioning scheme.

Figure 2.1 Average 2018-2021 vessel length and tonnage distribution of the
total Dutch fleet depending on their decommissioning status. Note, for a
better readability, the y-axis is in log-scale

22 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

2.2

Half of the eligible vessels registered for the
scheme

Of the 139 eligible vessels, 71 remained on the Netherlands Enterprise Agency
(RVO) list of 1 April. This means that more than half of the vessels eligible for
the decommissioning scheme were still considered for scrapping by
1 April 2023. Those vessels represent 24% of the number of vessels in the
cutter fleet and 13% of total Dutch fleet (see Table 2.1), 32% of days at sea
of the cutter fleet (28% of the total Dutch fleet), 38% of landings of the cutter
fleet (8% of total Dutch fleet), 43% of value of landings of the cutter fleet
(29% of total Dutch fleet).
The total requested amount for all those vessels is €143,035,742. This
amount is lower than the total BAR budget allocated to this decommissioning
scheme and theoretically, all those vessels could benefit from it.

2.3

The beam-trawl flatfish fishery registered
massively

Figure 2.2 Average composition of effort per gear of the registered vessels
and other eligible cutters in seadays for the period 2018-2021. OTT/OTB:
otter trawls, SSC: Scottish seines, TBB/SUM/PUL: flatfish beam trawl and
alternative sumwing or pulse trawl, TBS: shrimp beam trawl

During the 2018-2021 period, most of the registered vessels have operated
with flatfish beam trawls (TBB/SUM/PUL) (about 60 of the 71 vessels
representing about 81% of the total effort of the registered vessels,
Figure 2.2), about 10 to 15 vessels operated annually with demersal otter
trawls (OTT/OTB, 12% of effort of registered vessels), 11 with shrimp beam

2.4

Larger, more active vessels registered for
the decommissioning scheme

trawls (TBS, 6% of effort) and one vessel with Scottish seines or flyshoots
(SSC, 1% of total effort of registered vessels). In comparison, the eligible

There is a wide variety in vessel sizes in the Dutch fishing fleet that can be

vessels that did not register have operated with a much more balanced mix of

split in three subfleets: 1) the coastal fleet with a lot of less active smaller

gears, with only 47% of the effort with flatfish beam trawls, 21% with

vessels catching species not impacted by the Brexit (see first peak of non-

demersal otter trawls (OTT/OTB), 16% with Scottish seines (SSC) and 15%

eligible vessels in vessel length between 2 and 18m on Figure 2.1), 2) the

with shrimp beam trawls (TBS) (see Figure 2.2).

cutter fleet with the shrimp cutters (second peak of non-eligible vessels, less
than 24m in length) targeting mainly brown shrimp and the rest of the cutter

This is also confirmed by the composition of landings (see Figure 2.3). Sole

fleet above 20m catching a mix of demersal species and eligible for the

and plaice represent about 75% of the landings in value (70% in weight) of

decommissioning scheme and 3) the pelagic fleet few very large vessels,

registered vessels while for other eligible cutters they only represent 55% of

pelagic freezer-trawlers (between 90 and 150m in length). The registered

value, 45% of weight.

vessels are amongst the longer and larger vessels of the cutter fleet
(Figure 2.1), their length is on average 39m and gross tonnage 416grt, while

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 23

the other eligible cutters have an average length of 32m and gross tonnage of
296grt.

Figure 2.3 Average catch composition of the registered vessels and other
eligible cutters in weight and value for the period 2018-2021

2.5

Average profitability, higher costs

In the 2018-2021 period, the registered vessels have shown on average a
slightly higher revenue per vessel compared to the other eligible vessels
(Figure 2.4 and Table 2.1). They also show a higher fuel consumption, costs
and profit (Figure 2.4). The higher fuel consumption is probably the reason
why those vessels particularly registered for the scheme. While they were still
profitable in 2021, the flatfish beam trawlers are fuel intensive and would
have been particularly impacted by the increasing fuel prices in 2022. In
addition, part of those vessels had to give up using the pulse trawl (the last
licences were withdrawn in July 2021), leading to even more fuel
consumption.

24 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Figure 2.4 Average distribution of revenue, costs, fuel consumption and
profit for the Dutch cutter fleet for the period 2018-2021 per decommissioning
status

Table 2.1

Summary table of the fleet activity before the decommissioning scheme (2018-2021) in terms of number of active vessels, effort, landings and value of

landings. For the registered vessels, the eligible vessels (cutters and pelagic trawlers separately) and the total Dutch fishery
Registered

Eligible

Cutters

Cutters

Total Dutch fisheries
Pelagic trawlers

Cutters

Pelagic trawlers

Gillnetters

Others small scale

Total

Average per year
Number of active vessels

71

139

7

291

7

10

Effort (days at sea)

13,933

Landings (tonnes)

25,485

26,787

1,667

47,542

249,016

Value of landings (‘000 euro)

104,775

187,468

Effort (days at sea)

198

Landings (tonnes)

361
1,486

222

532

43,525

1,716

339

2,923

48,506

66,525

250,844

66

13,426

330,863

103,042

242,648

103,885

436

19,485

366,455

193

247

150

237

33

13

91

342

36,891

229

34,599

6

60

622

1,349

15,266

834

14,329

43

88

689

Average per active vessel per year

Value of landings (‘000 euro)

2.6

Fishers perception of the consequences of
the scheme

they do. These feelings are also experienced by the crew, whom have a boss
(the skipper) but with rotating responsibilities on board and the fact that crew
fish in a partnership agreement and thereby also share the profit when the
catch is good, there is quite an egalitarian culture on board. Leaving that job,

Fishers and their spouses do not think lightly about quitting fishing. In 2022 we

which is part of who you are and the sense of freedom behind is therefore

held an online survey with skipper-owners, crew and their spouses to better

difficult. It is also difficult for the skipper-owners and their spouses because

understand how they perceived the policy changes of the last couple of years

the decision does not only affect themselves, but their family and their crew

for themselves, their families and the communities they lived in. We also asked

and their families, whom in many cases are related (50%) or come from the

them about how they saw the future of their business and whether they

same fishing community (70%) (Kraan et al. 2023).

considered decommissioning (see Appendix 2).
Regardless of the difficulty to make this decision, still 71 (data 2020) vessels
Thirteen per cent of the respondents with a fishing company had signed up for

signed up for the decommissioning scheme. Apparently for them the scheme is

the decommissioning scheme. This may seem relative low, but the population

attractive or the least unattractive scenario for their companies’ future. The

for the survey was larger than the fleet eligible. A larger group, namely a

decommissioning scheme had been announced at the end of 2021 as

quarter of the population indicated they considered to stop fishing in 2023.

compensation for Brexit. It took some time to open the scheme, due to the

Most of them (92%) said they would find it difficult to quit (Kraan et al. 2023).

fact that it is complicated piece of legislation that also needs to be checked by

This is not because they are concerned about finding another job, but because

Brussels to prevent it from being unauthorised state aid.

fishing is part of their livelihood, of their way of life and identity (see Kraan
et al. 2023 for a description of the social cultural value of fishing). Not only

In the time period the measure was developed (end of 2021 –

because fishers often have inherited the job and company of their family,

1 September 2022), Russia invaded Ukraine (February 2022). The war soon

sometimes going generations back in time. Also because they enjoy the fact

resulted in a high oil price. It quickly became clear that many cutter companies

that they are their own boss, appreciate being out at sea, and enjoy the thrill

struggled to keep their business afloat. This was especially true for the large

of finding fish and coming home with a hull full of fish. They take pride in what

beam trawl vessels, many of which already had to adjust from fishing with the

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 25

pulse to revert back to beam trawl, which meant a doubling of fuel use. That

connected to that vessel, it was a less logical and unattractive choice. So many

this policy change (pulse ban) has had a large impact shows in the amount of

companies (and families) were going through difficult discussions (Kraan et al.

former pulse vessels registered; 45 of the 71 vessels were vessels with a pulse

2023). This time of contemplation meant that one could not talk about it, as if

license (63% of the registered vessels). In combination with the grim outlook

word came out that one was considering to decommission, crew would start

for fisheries due to a whole set of policy changes over the last couple of years

looking around for another vessel to fish for (Kraan et al. 2023).

and the decreasing space for fisheries at sea, the interest in the scheme
therefor was high.

The Dutch fishing community15 expressed concern over the state the fishing
sector is in as a result of the mix of policy measures and the high oil price, and

When the scheme and the conditions of decommissioning were announced

the declining fleet as a result of that. And the majority (94%) indicated that

(22 July 2022) there was a lot of discussion about the conditions. What was

the general mood was depressed (survey 2022). In the course of 2022 and

new, compared to earlier decommissioning schemes (such as those in 2008

beginning of 2023 the decline of the fleet became noticeable. Vessels were

and 1995), was that also the quotas (linked to the vessel) needed to be

scrapped, or sold, and the auction in Den Helder closed its doors. Pictures and

handed in13 and fishers could not start fishing again, but had to wait 5 years14.

short videos were shared on social media but also news articles and tv shows

Both aspects made it more difficult to take part in the scheme for fishers,

reported how fishers deconstructed their vessels (taking all personal

especially for (family) businesses with a lot of quotas. The quotas in the

belongings out) to then see them off to Kampen whilst being tugged out of the

Netherlands, although they have been divided for free in the 1980s when the

harbour by a tug boat. Kampen is a village in Overijssel where many scrapped

TACs were introduced, have developed a market value because of the Dutch

vessels were brought to.16 The sight of these majestic vessels (some 40 metres

ITQ system (Hoefnagel and de Vos 2017). Many fishers therefore started to

long) being tugged away as empty cascos yet still carrying the colours and

see the quotas as part of their business capital and (later on) pension. The

name of the vessel was a very emotional sight to those involved as well as

Netherlands has quite a number of slipper-skippers, fishers who do not fish

bystanders. Some fishers could not bring their vessel away themselves, ‘too

anymore but lease their quotas and thereby earn an income (van Ginkel 2009).

emotional’ they said, and rather waved them goodbye from the quayside.

The other side of the coin was that vessels without a lot of quotas, profited
relatively from this scheme given that quotas had to be return with the vessel

The Dutch fishing community will, due to the decommissioning of vessels

without additional compensation. The rule that one cannot develop a new

become smaller. The last decommissioning scheme was in 2008, and fishers

fishing activity, thus use the money to buy another (smaller) vessel, was

already refer to the fact that fisheries have declined. More and more they

difficult for fishers.

experience that they are becoming a rarity when meeting other people. Also on
birthday parties in their community they notice that there are less fishermen,

Fishers with more than 1 vessel in the company who would decommission one

and this increases over time. Where in 2008 (Salz et al. 2008) less than half of

of the vessels, could off course continue fishing with the remaining vessel(s).

the fishers experienced this, in 2022 it was more than 70% (Kraan et al.

But some were confronted with difficult choices as to which vessel to

2023). Consequences of this already started to show in 2022, for instance the

decommission. In some cases one of the vessel was the oldest or largest and

insurance company for fishers with a partnership agreement, raised the cost of

therefore best to let go of, but if most of their companies’ quotas were

the insurance as the number of fishers declined.

13

consulted via regional meetings, interviews and a national survey (Kraan et al. 2023, see also
Appendix 2).
16
https://www.destentor.nl/kampen/dit-bedrijf-in-kampen-sloopt-tientallen-kotters-vanvissers-die-geen-toekomst-zien~a9fb37a6/ and
https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2023/02/24/prachtige-viskotters-worden-inkampen-opgeruimd/

https://www.vissersbond.nl/verbazing-en-teleurstelling-over-de-saneringsvoorwaarden/
This condition was unnegotiable with the commission, which the Dutch ministry had tried to
change (https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/kamerstukken/2022/07/22/openstellingsaneringsregeling-visserij).
15
Fishing community here as defined as a community of practice, encompassing all men and
women (in)directly involved in or related to fishing (see Kraan et al. 2023). They have been
14

26 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Already in 2022 a lot of vessels lay still due to the high oil price, resulting in a
number of fishers (crew) seeking other jobs, which often also paid much more
than fishing (at that time with high costs) and with less crazy work hours and
risks (Kraan et al. 2023). The fishing community expressed concern over this,
as it meant a direct loss of experience and knowledge. 84% of the respondents
indicated to be concerned over maintaining a good crew (Kraan et al. 2023).
Fishers learn a lot in practice and have to do a lot of follow up training.17 So
when such experienced fishers leave and others more opportunistic men
without experience start joining as deckhand, this bears risks. Another option
is that the fleet will turn more and more to foreign workers whom are hired via
an employment agency and have a fixed salary.
The effects of the decommissioning will differ per fishing community and region
(see Chapter 4).

17

Some qualifications need to be renewed every 5 years.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 27

3

Scenario analysis

3.1

What-if scenarios with varying number of
decommissioning vessels and reaction of the
remaining fleet

We assess the impact of the decommissioning scheme on the Dutch fishery
using scenarios. Because we cannot predict the future we use different types of
scenarios to capture uncertainty in the system in a number of ‘what-if’ cases
(see Table 3.1).
Uncertainty in actual decommissioning vessels tackled with sensitivity analysis
As mentioned earlier, the registration for decommissioning scheme opened in a
specific context with high uncertainty. Because of this, some fishers saw the
decommissioning scheme as an emergency exit door that they didn’t want to
close too rapidly (personal communication fisher representative18). Given that
the vessels have until the end of July 2023 (i.e. three months after the writing
of this report) to withdraw from the scheme, we run a sensitivity analysis on
how many vessels will actually make use of the scheme and exit the fleet
assuming that either i) 100% of the registered vessels leave, ii) 90% or
iii) 80%.19 Given that we ignore which 90 or 80% of the vessels would actually

fishery is managed with individual transferable quotas (ITQ) for its two main
species, sole and plaice, so to increase their landings, fishers would have to
acquire extra quotas. In the transition period (until 2025), the quotas will be
redistributed to producer organisations (PO) who can allow their members to
increase their effort and flatfish landings, at least in the short term. After that,
the Dutch government will make a new plan to reallocate the quotas to
existing and potentially new fishers. In addition, the Dutch quotas of both of
those stocks have been underutilised for the past years by the Dutch fleet.
Since 2016, the Dutch landings of flatfish have been decreasing (Wageningen
Economic Research 2022c). In 2021 the quota uptake was lower than 50%.20
In that context, it is unclear what barriers would be lifted by the
decommissioning that would lead to the remaining fleet to increase their effort.
To cover multiple cases, we use two fleet reaction scenarios: i) no reaction: we
maintain the individual effort at the historical (2018-2021) level, ii) increased
effort: the vessels targeting sole and plaice will increase their effort for those
species. The increased effort scenario is capped by the max seadays observed
on the segment and also limited by other activities (for example shrimp
fishing, see Appendix 3 for the detailed calculation of the increased effort
scenario).

be scrapped in those scenarios, we select the vessels randomly a hundred
times in order to calculated an average scenario.
Change in behaviour of remaining fleet could lead to higher individual effort
Another unpredictable factor is the reaction of the remaining fleet after the
decommissioning. Based on literature it is expected that the remaining vessels
may increase investment or fish longer due to the room created by the
departure of the decommissioning vessels (Squires 2010). The Dutch flatfish
18

The fisher representative mentioned in the phone survey (see Appendix 2) that fishers had
registered out of precaution. Putting the vessel on the list, kept the door open for
decommissioning. In the meantime owners looked for other solutions.

28 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

19

Those percentages were chosen as it is simple to infer a linear relationship, in case an extra
10% vessels decide to remain.
20
https://vissersbond.nl/benuttingsoverzicht-visquota-15-december-2022/

Table 3.1

Description of the six scenarios regarding the short term effect of

the decommissioning scheme
#
1

Scenario name
Base scenario: 100%-no

reaction scenario) of the historical value if all the registered vessels were to
actually leave the fishery. For sole, the expected decrease in landings ranges
from -63% if all the registered vessels stop fishing and the remaining fleet

% of registered vessels Reaction of

maintain the same level of effort (scenario 100%- no reaction, see Table 3.2)

actually scrapped

remaining fleet

100%

No reaction

1 run

reaction

up to -32% if only 80% of the registered vessels actually stop and the
remaining vessels increase their effort. Compared to the decrease in quota
share of 13% due to Brexit, the expected landings of sole are expected to

2

90%-no reaction

90%

No reaction

100 runs

3

80%-no reaction

80%

No reaction

100 runs

decrease faster due to the decommissioning scheme in all scenarios. The

4

100%-effort increase

100%

Increased effort

1 run

decreases of plaice landings are expected to be similar to those of sole for all

5

90%-effort increase

90%

Increased effort

100 runs

scenario (Table 3.2). Given that the Dutch share of the plaice quota will not

6

80%-effort increase

80%

Increased effort

100 runs

change as a result of Brexit, the quota is expected to also remain underutilised
except if the total allowable catch drastically decreases.

3.2

The expected reduction of effort and landings
due to the decommissioning of flatfish beam
trawlers exceeds the reduction of quotas due
to Brexit

The total fishing effort of the cutter fleet decreases in all scenario due to the
decommissioning scheme (from -13% in the 80% - increased effort up to 32%
in the 100% - no reaction scenario Table 3.3)
Meaning that the simulated effort increase at the individual level could not
offset the reduction in the number of vessels, even if ‘only’ 80% of the
registered vessels actually stop.
The effort reduction is particularly marked for the flatfish beam trawls (from 27% days at sea of the total Dutch fleet in the 80% - increased effort up to 63% in the 100% - no reaction scenario, see Figure 3.1) and the otter trawls

3.3

Cod could become choke species

Cod shows another story. The quota share is expected to decrease by 19% and
while the landings are expected to decrease faster in the scenarios with no
increase of effort (between -29 and -23% depending on the percentage of the
registered vessels actually being scrapped, Table 3.2), if the remaining fleet
were to increase its effort, the average decrease in landings in the 80% and
90% scenarios would ‘only’ be 15 or 18% and would therefore not compensate
the decrease in quota share. This coupled with the fact that cod quotas have
actually been fully utilised in the past couple of years (Vissersbond 2022) could
lead to cod becoming a choke species for the Dutch demersal fleet.

3.4

The expected landings of pelagic species
remains unchanged by the decommissioning
scheme

(from -3% days at sea of the total Dutch fleet in the 80% - increased effort up
to -36% in the 100% - no reaction scenario, see Figure 3.1), Scottisch seine

The pelagic species in Table 1.1 are also expected to be limiting the Dutch fleet

and shrimp beam trawls also decrease by about 5% of the total effort with

in the future. While the Dutch quota share has decreased due to Brexit, the

those gears in the 2018-2021 period.

fleet catching those species has not registered for the decommissioning
scheme and the landings are therefore expected to remain constant.

As a result of the overall decrease in beam-trawl effort, the landings of
demersal species also decrease. In total weight, the landings of the cutter fleet
would decrease by 19 (80% - increased effort scenario) to 38% (100% - no

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 29

3.5

The expected economic performance of the
remaining cutter fleet worsens

The expected total activity (effort and landing figures) of the cutter fleet
decreases faster than the number of vessels due to the higher historical level
of activity of those vessels (Table 3.3)
In the 100% - no reaction scenario, while the number of vessels decreases by
24%, the total effort is reduced by a third, landings by 38% and value of
landings by 43%. So the registered vessels were more at sea than the other
cutters in the 2018-2021 period, they landed more per unit of effort and the
average price of their landings was also higher. They had also higher costs and
much higher profit (the total profit of the cutter fleet decreases by 70% if all
the registered vessel leave). Those were years when the pulse trawl was still
used but being phased out of the flatfish fishery and fuel prices were relatively
low, resulting in profitable years for the larger flatfish beam trawlers despite a
declining trend (Wageningen Economic Research 2022a). However, given the
development since 2021 (complete ban on pulse, high fuel prices and low
catchability of flatfish) it is likely that the profitability of the registered vessels
drastically decreased, and that the decommissioning scheme prevented some
Figure 3.1 Expected change in effort per gear type in percentage for the six
scenarios compared to the average historical effort 2018-2021

bankruptcies.
When looking at the average data per vessel it remain clear that the vessels
exiting the fishery were the ones driving its profitability. The expected average

Table 3.2

Expected change in landings per species in percentage for the six

scenarios compared to the average historical landings 2018-2021. Only the
important demersal species are shown here, the pelagic fleet being unaffected
by the decommissioning scheme, no change in landings as a result of the
decommissioning scheme is expected. *mean value for the scenario. Bold
values represent decrease in landings below the change in quotas due to Brexit
Historical Quota

100%-

landings

change no

2018-

due to

90%-no

80%- no

100%

90%

80%

reaction* reaction* increased increased increased

reaction

effort

effort*

effort*

2021 in t Brexit
Sole

-13

-63

-56

-50

-50

-41

-32

Plaice 20.424

7.029

0

-62

-56

-50

-48

-39

-31

Cod

-19

-29

-26

-23

-23

-18

-15

640

30 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

individual effort goes down by 7 to 10% depending on the scenario if the
remaining fleet does not react (Table 3.3), it even increases by 3 to 7% if the
fleet does react. This is hardly enough to bring the individual landings to the
historical level (only in the 80%-increased effort is the change in individual
landings not negative, average is null). And insufficient to compensate the
revenue or the profit.

3.6

Less decommissioned vessels means on
average less impact but high variability in
impacts depending on the vessels selected to
decommission

By decreasing the number of vessels actually leaving the fishery by 10 (90%
scenarios) or 20% (80% scenarios) of the registered vessels, we see that the
effect of the decommissioning scheme is also attenuated and the average
effect on the effort, landings and value is linearly correlated with the number of
vessels leaving. Of course in this study, we randomly select which of the
registered vessels actually leave. However, there are differences in the
expected decommissioning scheme impact depending on the selection of the
vessels. In the 80% scenarios, the ranges of impacts are the largest. While the
effort is on average reduced by 25% if 80% of the registered vessels leave
with no reaction from the remainders (scenario 80% - no reaction), this
reduction is more or less the same regardless the selection of vessels
demonstrating the similar effort profile of the registered vessels, with effort
higher than the average cutter (Table 3.3). Differences are more pronounced

for landings - depending how much the vessels landed historically the expected
decrease in landings in the 80% - no reaction scenario ranges from -32 to 29%; value of landings (from -36% to -33% decrease expected), cost (from 36% to -31% decrease expected) or profit (from -66% to -44% decrease
expected)21. For the value of landings and profit, those differences between the
lowest and highest bounds of the 90% confidence interval are actually close to
the difference between averages of the 90% and 80% scenarios highlighting
the importance of understanding why a vessel owner would scrap their vessel.

3.7

Increasing effort is limited but would still
lead to a reduced impact

In the 100% scenarios, increasing the effort of the remaining vessels would
lead to a decrease in the overall effort of 22% instead of 32% (Table 3.3), a
reduction of the landings and landings value respectively by 30% instead of
38% and 34% instead of 43%. The change in costs and profit also decrease to
a lesser extent. Despite leading to a higher average activity per vessel of the
cutter fleet, increasing effort would still lead to lower landings and a reduced
profitability of the vessels.

Table 3.3 Activity of the cutter fleet before the decommissioning scheme and changes due to the scheme for the six scenarios compared to the before situation.
*median value [bounds of 90% confidence interval]
Average 2018-2021
Total cutter fleet
Active vessels
291
Effort
43525
Landings 1.000 t
67
Value of landings
243
million euro
Costs million euro
234
Profit million euro
15
Average per vessel cutter fleet
Effort
150
Landings
2
Value of landings
8
Costs
8
Profit
1
21

100%-no reaction

90%-no reaction*

80%- no reaction*

100% increased
effort

90% increased
effort*

80% increased
effort*

-24%
-32%
-38%
-43%

-21%
-28% [-29%; -28%]
-34% [-35%; -33%]
-38% [-40%; -37%]

-19%
-25% [-26%; -25%]
-30% [-32%; -29%]
-34% [-36%; -33%]

-24%
-22%
-30%
-34%

-21%
-17% [-18%; -17%]
-24% [-26%; -22%]
-28% [-29%; -26%]

-19%
-13% [-14%; -13%]
-19% [-21%; -17%]
-22% [-24%; -20%]

-41%
-70%

-37% [-38%; -36%]
-63% [-71%; -54%]

-33% [-34%; -31%]
-56% [-66%; -46%]

-32%
-61%

-26% [-28%; -25%]
-48% [-59%; -34%]

-21% [-23%; -20%]
-36% [-50%; -21%]

-10%
-19%
-25%
-22%
-61%

-9% [-9%; -8%]
-16% [-18%; -14%]
-22% [-23%; -20%]
-19% [-21%; -18%]
-53% [-63%; -41%]

-8% [-8%; -7%]
-14% [-16%; -12%]
-19% [-21%; -17%]
-17% [-18%; -15%]
-46% [-58%; -33%]

3%
-7%
-13%
-11%
-48%

5% [4%; 6%]
-3% [-6%; -1%]
-8% [-10%; -5%]
-6% [-8%; -5%]
-34% [-48%; -16%]

7% [7%; 8%]
0% [-3%; 3%]
-3% [-6%; -1%]
-3% [-5%; -1%]
-21% [-38%; -2%]

Note, the difference between the lowest and highest bounds of the ranges are not necessarily
due to the same vessel groups for the different variables.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 31

4

Regional impact of the decommissioning scheme
on the fish cluster and fishing communities

4.1

Links with on-land fishery cluster through the
fish value chain and the supply chain for the
fishery
22

Policy decisions and developments for the North Sea fishery,

affect the entire

fish chain and technical and services supply industry as a kind of domino
effect. The fish chain and technical and services supply industry refers to the
total of companies in the fish processing chain (such as auction, transport,
processing, fish wholesale) and technical and services supply industry
(shipbuilding, port services, technical services such as electricians, ship
carpenters, etc.) (Figure 4.1). The fish processing chain and technical and
services supply industry are referred to in this report as fish cluster. Several
fish clusters are regionally distributed in the Netherlands.

Not only policy decisions like Brexit, landing obligations, pulse ban and
decommissioning of fishing vessels could affect fish clusters and fishing
communities. Also developments could cause negative socio-economic and
socio-cultural effects. Developments such as the war in Ukraine with inflation
and largely higher fuel and (sea)food prices as a consequence.
In addition to landings by fresh fish cutters also brown shrimp taken
into account to distinguish specialisations per fisheries region
The focus of this report is on the effects of the decommissioning of the Dutch
cutter fleet. However, to map the effects of the cutter fleet decommissioning
on the fish processing chain and supplying industry per fisheries region, it is
important to make a distinction in specialisations per region. Namely, all six
fisheries regions and the category ‘other’ are mapped but it is important to
distinguish which region is more dependent on cutter fisheries and which
region is more dependent on brown shrimps fisheries. In some regions the
specialisations are intertwined because there are auctions with of landings of
Brown shrimps and those of fresh North Sea fish. There are also Eurocutters23
that fish mainly for flatfish but catch brown shrimp seasonally. For the fish
processing chain and technical and service supply industry, companies can
supply or purchase from both fresh (flat) fish cutters and shrimp cutters. To
avoid making it unnecessarily complex in this report, a description is first given
of the fisheries regions and the distinction between auctions for fresh North
Sea fish and brown shrimp. In the end, the central question is of course what
the consequences of the cutter decommissioning are for the fish processing
chain and technical and service supply industry per fisheries region.

Figure 4.1 The fish processing chain and technical and services supply
industry of North Sea fish simplified as visualisation. The delimitation of the
included links are demonstrated within the blue square of the figure
22

‘North Sea fish’ (as opposed to pelagic fish and inland fish) refer to the fish landed by the
‘North Sea fishery’ i.e. the Dutch fishery from the North Sea and adjacent areas such as the
English Channel, the Kattegat and Skagerrak.

32 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

23

See Glossary for a definition of Eurocutters.

Knock-on effects for onshore fish clusters by decreasing landing
volumes and decommissioning cutter fleet
From Hoekstra et al. (2023) it is demonstrated that as a result of increased
costs and/or restricted catch opportunities the fleet reduces both in size as in
landings. This has an effect on the auxiliary and processing industry, in terms
of financial turnover and employment. The more a company is dependent on
fish landed by Dutch flagged vessels related activities the more it will be
affected, yet there are companies that diversify (remain active in fish
processing chain but source elsewhere) or move to other sectors. Only a
limited number of onshore companies (and in that respect also regions) are
fully dependent on the North Sea fisheries sector and hence affected to a large
extent with reduced fleet and fishing opportunities. On average 40-50% of
financial turnover was dependent on North Sea fisheries among fish clusters in
the Netherlands in 2021, varying per individual company from 5% to 100%
dependence. Most of the companies active in the fish processing chain did
urgently need to fall back on alternatives from North Sea fish. For example,
when fish processors divert to alternatives, consider fish species that are
imported, such as farmed salmon from Norway or flatfish from North America.
Technical and service suppliers such as ship builders, installers, port companies
and ship carpenters may in certain cases divert to (maritime) industries other
than Dutch fisheries such as large shipping, yachting, offshore activities or
completely different sectors such as housing and business premises (Hoekstra
et al. 2023).
Based on the research study of Quirijns et al. (2019) the six fisheries regions
are (Figure 4.2):

Fishing community

• Waddenkust (Provinces Friesland and Groningen)

Fresh fish auction

• Kop van Noord-Holland (among others Den Helder, Texel, Den Oever,
Wieringen)

Mainly brown shrimp auction

• IJmuiden
• Katwijk-Scheveningen
• Zuidwest-Nederland (among others Stellendam, Ouddorp, Goedereede,
Vlissingen, Arnemuiden, Breskens)
• Urk.

Figure 4.2 Map with 6 defined fisheries regions and fresh North Sea fish and
shrimp auctions in the Netherlands
Source: Register of Dutch Fishery vessels, edited by Wageningen Economic
Research.

In addition to these six regions there are enterprises which belong to fish
clusters, although these are not within the regional borders of those six fisheries
regions. For these enterprises another categories is created named ‘others’.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 33

Multiple interactions often exist between different fisheries regions (Hoekstra

Out of these 346 companies there were 314 which had a smaller or larger

et al. 2023). For example, Katwijk and Urk do not have their own ports where

dependency on North Sea fisheries for their financial turnover in 2021.

North Sea fish are landed fresh. Cutters with Katwijk as their home port

Therefore 32 companies had no revenues from North Sea fisheries. Out of the

(starting with the abbreviation KW as the fish number) often land in the port of

314 companies there were large differences between the financial turnover

IJmuiden or Stellendam and sell their fresh fish there through the fish auction.

directly related to North Sea fisheries, varying from 5 to 100% on the total

For Urker cutters, the ports of Harlingen, IJmuiden and Eemshaven are

turnover in 2021. On average 40-50% of the turnover was directly related to

important as well as foreign ports in Denmark and France. However, most of

North Sea fisheries. This means an estimated €2.9bn turnover in 2021. Urk

the fresh North Sea fish landed there is sold through the fish auction in Urk.

was the largest fish cluster in socio-economic terms followed by ‘other’ and

Cutters from other fisheries regions may have similar interactions with other

Zuidwest-Nederland (Table 4.2).

regions. Thus, the home port where a cutter is registered is not automatically
the port where this fishing vessel then lands the fish or the local fish auction
where most of the caught fish is sold.

Table 4.2

Socio-economic size of Dutch fish clusters of onshore companies

in the fish processing chain and technical and service supply industry by each
The characteristics per fisheries region of the processing chain and technical

fisheries region, ranked from largest to smallest in number of employees in

and services supply industry of North Sea fish is described in Appendix 4.

2021 (Hoekstra et al. 2023)

Within this table the main commercial North Sea fish species landed in volume
and the condition or preservation state (fresh, frozen etc.) is mentioned per

Fisheries region

fisheries region.

Number of

Turnover in 2021

Employees

companies in

(million euros)

in 2021

fte 2021

2021
1.Urk

96

2,200

4,150

2,450

Socio-economic size of fish clusters per fisheries region

2.Zuidwest-Nederland

56

550

2,100

1,350

From Hoekstra et al. (2023) it is demonstrated that the fish clusters in the

3.Waddenkust

27

800

1,900

1,250

Netherlands consisted of 346 onshore companies in total in 2021. This baseline

4.Katwijk/Scheveningen

32

700

850

550

measurement shows that there were 12 auctions, 19 fish transporters,

5.IJmuiden

26

500

550

350

6.Kop van Noord-Holland

17

100

250

150

7.Other

92

1,760

3,750

2,250

Total

346

6,610

13,550

8,350

109 technical and service suppliers and 206 fish processors and trade companies
in the Netherlands (Table 4.1). Together these 346 companies had a financial
turnover of €6.6bn and 13,550 employees (8,350 FTE) in 2021.

Table 4.1

Socio-economic size of Dutch fish clusters by each link in the fish

processing chain and technical and service supply industry in 2021 (Hoekstra
et al. 2023)
Link in fish processing chain and

Number of

technical and service supply

companies

industry

Turnover Employees
(million

FTE
2021

euros)

Fish and brown shrimp auctions

12

270

450

250

Fish transporters

19

140

1,000

800

Technical and service suppliers

109

1,030

2,500

2.100

Fish processing/fish wholesale

206

5,170

9,600

5.200

Total

346

6,610

13,550

8.350

34 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Fish and shrimp auctions and landed volumes 2011-2022 in the
Netherlands
There are historical reasons wherefore fish clusters focusing on demersal (flat
fish and shrimps) and small pelagic frozen fish are located close to harbours
and auctions (Appendix 4). In this report there is less attention on fish
processing chains of pelagic frozen fish as the decomissioning does hardly
affect these pelagic fish companies.

decommissioning flat fish cutters from this fisheries region of Kop van NoordHolland. For this fisheries region and community with its companies and
individual employees it has a large social, economic and cultural impact. On a
national level fishing vessels and fish clusters are expected to be minimum
affected by closing this single fish auction and fisheries coop.
The operational North Sea fish auctions recognised by the NVWA can be
divided into typical shrimp auctions and fish auctions. In 2022, there were
seven auctions where shrimp was landed if Stellendam is included (Figure 4.4)
and six auctions specialised in the landing and sale of North Sea fish
(Figure 4.3). These landing volumes at Dutch fish and shrimp auctions (Figures
4.3 and 4.4) includes both landing weight by Dutch and foreign flagged
fisheries vessels. In addition to the North Sea fish auctions recognised by the
NVWA, there is a separate mussel auction in Yerseke where samples of mussel
harvests are taken to determine, in particular, the quality size of the mussels,
and an IJsselmeer auction in (popularly called ‘on’ because of the former
island) Urk for the sale of freshwater fish caught mainly on the IJsselmeer. The
port of Eemshaven is for transhipment of fresh fish only, no auction.
Landing volume at Dutch fish auctions more than halve in 2016-2022
Of the Dutch auctions where mainly fish is landed, Urk and IJmuiden were the
Figure 4.3 Six auctions with mainly or solely fresh North Sea fish landed and

largest both in terms of turnover and landing volume in 2021 and 2022

sold in the Netherlands in 2022. Landings of fresh North Sea fish species

(Hoekstra et al. 2023; Figure 4.3). High prices of landed fresh North Sea fish

(including brown shrimp for Stellendam) at Dutch auctions from 2011-2022.

caused an increase in financial turnover in 2022 compared to a year earlier for

Landing weight is expressed in tonnes

several fish auctions despite decreasing landed weight. Together, Urk and
IJmuiden accounted for 73% (2021) and 69% (2022) of total volume landings
of fresh North Sea fish. For the flatfish species plaice, Urk is the largest

Ten licensed North Sea fish auctions are still operational in the Netherlands by

auction. For the other commercially very important flatfish species North Sea

2023 (Figure 4.2). At the beginning of 2022, there were still twelve. In that

sole, IJmuiden and Scheveningen are the most important auctions in the

year, the doors of the Den Helder fish auction and, earlier, the Breskens

Netherlands. Expressed in landing weight, the decrease in the landing volume

shrimp auction were permanently closed. For both auctions, a sharp decline in

of North Sea fish at the Dutch auctions is visible from the peak year 2016

supply volumes and associated economic losses was the main reason to stop

(Figure 4.3). In peak year 2016, the total landing volume was rounded

their activities. Operations at the Breskens auction were taken over by the

90,400 tonnes. By 2022, this had more than halved (-56%) to a total of

Vlissingen auction, with which they already had a close working relationship.

40,200 tonnes. Over those six years, the landing volume declined by an

Cutters that previously landed and sold their North Sea fish through the Den

average of 8,400 tonnes annually (10-20% per year on the total volume

Helder fish auction often diverted to Den Oever or IJmuiden. The Den Oever

landed).

auction falls under the same coop as the until recently operational Den Helder
auction. In Den Helder also a fisheries coop has been closed due to

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 35

Supply volumes of shrimp fluctuate widely from year to year

A total of about 9,000 tonnes of North Sea shrimp was sold through the Dutch

Landing volumes by weight (expressed in tonnes) show the strong fluctuations

auctions in 2021. Peak years in terms of supply volume were 2014

of shrimp landings from year to year (Figure 4.4). This characterises the North

(15,000 tonnes) and 2018 (17,000 tonnes). For all volumes mentioned, it is

Sea shrimp fishery with years of large catches and years of much smaller

about dead weight, or shrimp cooked on board and excluding sievage. Dead

catches due to a lower recruitment of the shrimp population. The Harlingen

weight is calculated by dividing live weight by conversion factor 1.18

auction, with some 3,700 tonnes in landing volume, was also the largest

(Wageningen Economic Research 2022a). In such years of large catches and

among the six shrimp auctions in the Netherlands in 2021 (Figure 4.4).

high landing volumes, landing prices often drop sharply due to the market
economics of supply and demand. The average landing price was €2-3 per
kilogram in those years of many landing volumes of North Sea shrimp. At that
time, there was a stock surplus in the cold and frozen warehouses of shrimp
processing plants. In years of scarcer supplies or stock shortages in the
warehouses of shrimp processors and wholesalers, the average price per
kilogram of North Sea shrimp can be much higher, up to above €7 per
kilogram.
The year 2020 was exceptional due to market distortion during the corona
pandemic. A decrease in supply in terms of weight of shrimp products to the
consumer market at that time, was mainly determined by the limited capacity
in the peeling workshops in Morocco. Most of the North Sea shrimp from
Northern Europe is peeled manually in Morocco because of lower labour costs
and by specialised peeling ateliers where hygienic circumstances are
significantly better than home manual peeling in Dutch households in the last
century. During the corona pandemic, peel workers had to keep at least one
and a half to two metres away to prevent the spread of the virus. The peeling
capacity was therefore only one-third of the usual processing capacity, which
meant that market demand was temporarily limited by supply from processing.
On the total turnover of the shrimp auctions, the sales value of Den Oever
seems to be greater than that of Harlingen and Zoutkamp in some years
(Hoekstra et al. 2023). However, at the Den Oever and Lauwersoog auctions,

Figure 4.4 Six auctions with mainly or solely brown shrimp landed and sold

in addition to shrimp, other North Sea fish species are landed such as Norway

in the Netherlands in 2022. Landings of North Sea shrimp at Dutch auctions

lobster (especially Den Oever) and other flatfish and roundfish. For both

from 2011-2022. Landing weight is expressed in tonnes. * provisional figures;

outlets, the majority of the total turnover consisted of North Sea shrimp sales.

** Zoutkamp is missing because no figures have been made available

Namely, 66% and 70% respectively in 2021.If only the turnover of sold North

Source: NOVA auctions, edited by Wageningen Economic Research.

Sea shrimp is included, the outlets Harlingen and Zoutkamp are the largest,
followed by Den Oever and Lauwersoog. 2021 was chosen here as the most
current reference year because the supply volumes sold through Dutch
auctions in the year 2022 were disturbed by the idling (not sailing) of many

36 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

North Sea cutters. In particular, the larger North Sea cutters fishing for flatfish

local onshore companies from vessels’ home port in the fisheries region of

and roundfish and, to a lesser extent, the shrimp cutters sometimes stayed in

living for the skipper/owner.

port for several weeks because of the sharp increase in fuel prices caused
mainly by the war in Ukraine (Deetman et al. 2022).

4.2

Lauwersoog was the last auction in 2021 where North Sea shrimp were still sold

Expected changes in landing distribution to
harbours

publicly visible through the public auction clock (RTV Noord 2021). Nowadays,
shrimp are only processed at the auction through pre-closed purchase contracts

Registered vessels by gear type

where no publicly transparent price formation between buyers and suppliers

Most of the registered vessels were active as bottom trawler targeting flat fish,

(fishermen) takes place through the auction clock system.

with 55 of total 71 vessels in 2021. In particular these owners of bottom
trawlers experience economically difficult times since the Brexit, high fuel

The landings of the vessels registered for the decommissioning represent about

prices and challenges to maintain or recruit crew or even successors within

8% of the total Dutch landings (Table 2.1) and around 33-36% of the landings

family by decreasing revenues as main reasons for decommissioning. In

of the cutter fleet from 2018-2021 (Table 2.1).

addition to those 54 beam trawlers there were 8 cutters mainly targeting
brown shrimps (data 2021), 1 flyshoot, 6 twin rig, 1 pulse targeting sole and
1 quad rig targeting plaice and nephrops registered for decommissioning based

Table 4.3

Share of landing weight by registered vessels for

on landing value in 2021. From July 2021 there is a full ban for all pulse

decommissioning scheme and total Dutch cutter fleet (in tonnes). Source:

trawlers in EU waters. From 2019 to 2021 most of Dutch pulse trawlers had

VIRIS/Bedrijveninformatienet, n.d.

already returned to the conventional beam trawling technique. In 2021 there

Year

2018

2019

2020

2021

Landings by total Dutch cutter fleet

80.600

65.300

64.300

58.000

Landings by registered vessels*

26.500

23.600

22.700

20.700

33%

36%

35%

36%

Share by registered vessels on total Dutch
cutter fleet

*Those 71 Dutch cutter vessels registered for decommissioning in Q1 2023.

was one vessel which used their pulse exemption license until July 2021.
In particular less landings of flat fish species expected after
decommissioning
Many main commercial North Sea fish species are landed by the registered
cutters from 2018-2021 (Table 4.4). Those landed commercial species marked
by colour red represent more than 50% of total landed weight by registered
cutters, orange marking means a share of 25-50%, yellow means 1-25% and

This 33-36% as proportion of the landed weight by registered vessels is

green means no landed weight by registered vessels but only by non-

already a large share of the total annually landed fresh North Sea fish by the

registered Dutch cutter vessels. Looking at the last row, it turns out that the

Dutch cutter fleet. However, for specific fisheries regions the proportions could

majority of landed flat fish species such as brill, dab, lemon sole, plaice, sole

differ from this general share on national level. Therefore it is needed to zoom

and turbot are caught by registered vessels between 2018 and 2021. It is

in to the effects per fisheries region. By the landing weight per Dutch fish and

expected that especially these species will be landed less after

shrimp auction the socio-economic size and importance of cutter fisheries

decommissioning. The decreasing landed weight by species is expected to be

vessels could be partly determined. In addition, to determine effects of

61% (brill), 58% (dab), 61% (lemon sole), 62% (plaice), 63% (sole) and 65%

decommissioning Dutch vessels for fish clusters within each of the six fisheries

(turbot) after decommissioning respectively.

regions it is needed to zoom in on the landing ports of the registered vessels
and their home port as technical and services supply are often executed by

Of course, expected landings are relying on several factors such as fishing
effort, catch per unit effort, restriction for fisheries by EU and national policy

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 37

(e.g. closing areas for fisheries in favour of marine protected areas or offshore

registered vessels leave and the remaining fleet does not adapt their reaction.

wind farms), fish landings prices, Total Allowable Catch per year, behavioural

Brown shrimp and squid are least caught by registered cutters with 5% and

changes between national and other EU flagged fisheries fleets, climate change

13% on total landed weight by Dutch cutter fleet in 2018-2021. For both

etc. However, from a simplistic perspective based on historical landing data

species a minimal effect is expected after decommissioning of cutters in 2023.

(2018-2021) it could be expected that for these six North Sea species landed
weight could be halved or even more than this 50% drop by Dutch cutters

In terms of landed value (in euro) the largest economic effects are expected

after quitting fishing as registered vessels for decommissioning. For other main

with a decrease of landings for sole, plaice, turbot and brill. In 2021 the landed

commercial species like cod, flounder, red gurnard and nephrops a minority of

value by registered cutters represented €40m, €25m, €11m and €3m. Total

the landed weight was caught by registered cutters in 2018-2021, namely,

landed value of the 12 main commercial landed species by registered cutters

29% (cod), 42% (flounder), 33% (red gurnard) and 36% (nephrops). These

was around €89m in 2021.

landing volumes are not expected to fished after decommissioning if all the

Table 4.4

Share of landed weight by registered Dutch cutter vessels as percentage of all Dutch cutter vessels, for the main commercial target species per harbour

of landing in 2018-2021. Source: VIRIS/Bedrijveninformatienet, n.d.

Brill

Cod

Brown shrimp Dab

Denmark Hanstholm
Denmark Thyboron
France Boulogne
Netherlands Den Helder
Netherlands Eemshaven
Netherlands Harlingen
Netherlands IJmuiden
Netherland Lauwersoog
Netherlands Scheveningen
Netherlands Stellendam
Netherlands Vlissingen
Netherlands Wieringen/Den Oever
Netherlands Zoutkamp
Other

67%
76%
6%
65%
62%
71%
70%
43%
20%
54%
54%
48%
45%

5%

2%
3%
3%
6%
1%
4%
17%
15%
2%
0%
13%

Total per main commercial species

61%

29%

5%

18%
24%
3%
50%
67%
21%
42%
31%
47%
58%
83%
45%

38 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Flounder

Red gurnard

Lemon sole

Nephrops

Plaice

Sole

Squid

70%
73%
5%
58%
58%
65%
67%
37%
32%
40%
59%
49%

31%
56%
11%
73%
44%
72%
71%
3%
33%
35%
30%
1%

67%
47%
5%
53%
29%
56%
42%
41%
11%
45%
79%
55%

44%
60%
5%
58%
85%
54%
62%
51%
56%
59%
94%
37%

100%
71%
0%
32%
21%
24%
16%
40%
13%
1%
0%
40%

69%
76%
7%
67%
59%
61%
62%
42%
37%
51%
67%
47%

57%
85%
13%
64%
72%
84%
71%
27%
23%
49%
67%
41%

30%

15%

13%

22%

50%

42%

58%

42%

33%

61%

36%

62%

Turbot

81%
42%
6%
50%
41%
32%
25%
69%
10%
30%
71%
65%

69%
79%
6%
70%
64%
71%
71%
42%
27%
56%
61%
49%

58%

8%

36%

63%

13%

65%

Number of
Total per landed vessels (cutters)
harbour
with main
landing port
67%
5
73%
5
6%
1
50%
11
53%
6
44%
12
58%
10
7%
4
26%
1
41%
5
52%
5
9%
4
0
19%
2
71

Share of landing weight by registered vessels for decommissioning

experience the economic effects of largely decreasing landed weight after

scheme

decommissioning of cutters. Fisheries regions Urk, IJmuiden, ZuidwestNederland and Kop van Noord-Holland are affected by the expected reduction

Out of the 13 main landing harbours in and outside the Netherlands

in landed weight after decommissioning.

there were 5 which are expected to be largely affected after
decommissioning

Urk with largest Dutch North Sea fish auction largely economically

There were 13 harbours identified as main landings port for Dutch cutters

affected by less plaice and flatfish landings in other harbours

between 2018-2021 (Table 4.4). In addition to these 13 harbours there was a

Urk has no own landing harbour for North Sea fish but does have their own

category ‘other’ to summarise the landed weight in other ports. Out of the

North Sea fish auction (in addition to the auction for fresh water captured fish

13 main landings harbours there were 5 harbour where the majority of landed

species by inland fisheries). This North Sea fish auction is highly dependent of

weight came from registered vessels in 2018-2021. In particular the harbours

landings via ports elsewhere. Landing harbours important for the Urker fleet

Hanstholm and Thyboron in Denmark are expected to be affected after

are Harlingen, Hanstholm, Thyboron. With 22 registered vessels with Harlingen

decommissioning by 67% (5 vessels) and 73% (4 vessels) respectively of total

as main landing port (Table 4.4) this is expected to have a large effect on the

landed weight by Dutch cutters between 2018-2021. In 2021 in both harbours

onshore companies providing harbour facilities in Harlingen. Considering that

there was 2,200 tonnes (Hanstholm) and 1,900 tonnes (Thyboron) landed by

fisheries region Waddenkust is a contraction region24 from a socio-economic

registered Dutch cutters. Other to be expected affected harbours are the Dutch

perspective, this might have relative more impact. There is a close relation

harbours of IJmuiden (58%) (10 vessels), Eemshaven (53%) (6 vessels)and

between the port of Harlingen and the fisheries region Urk. Harlingen is the

Vlissingen (52%) (5 vessels) with 3,400 tonnes, 2,100 tonnes and

main landing port for most vessels from Urk and most fish landed in Harlingen

1,600 tonnes by registered cutters respectively in 2021. In absolute terms the

is directly transported to the fish auction of Urk and processed in this fisheries

landing harbour of Den Helder is intensively affected with 2,900 tonnes (50%

region. If 22 cutters with Harlingen as main landing port will decommission this

of total landed weight here by 11 Dutch cutters) at stake based on 2021. With

will also affect the fish cluster Urk by decreasing landed weight to be processed

respect to landed value it is expected that Den Helder (€16.5m), IJmuiden

and less vessels that need technical and service supply. Fishing vessels with

(€16.4m), Harlingen (€15.4m), Vlissingen (€8.9m) and Eemshaven (€8.4m)

Urk as home port make also more and more use of other Dutch auctions like

will have most economic effects as these landings of registered cutters are at

IJmuiden, Vlissingen and even the French port of Boulogne because of the fish

stake. Thus in terms of affected regions (looking at landing ports) it is mainly

species such as squid, mullet and red gurnard caught by flyshoot (also called

the North of the Netherlands (Kop van Noord Holland and Waddenkust) and

snurrevaad) fisheries in French coastal waters and in the British Channel. Urk

the South (Zuidwest Nederland) that are affected.

is the largest processor of plaice of all fish clusters in the Netherlands. As
plaice is to be expected to decrease with 62% after decommissioning based on

Possible consequences of decrease in landings in harbours for multiple

landing (in weight) in 2021, the North Sea fish auction in Urk will likely be

fisheries regions

largely impacted economically. This expected reduction of landings is solely for

Decreasing landings of North Sea fish in harbours (Table 4.4) has potentially

the Dutch fleet. Urk is also home to 44 foreign flagged vessels that continue to

large effects for several fish clusters in the six fisheries regions (Figure 4.2). In

make use of the Urker auction.

particular fish auctions and fisheries coops are least resilient of all stakeholders
in the fish processing chain and technical and service supply industry, due to
limited alternatives or fallback opportunities other than fresh North Sea
fisheries (Hoekstra et al. 2023). In particular flatfish auctions will likely
24

https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/bevolkingsdaling/krimpgebieden-enanticipeergebieden

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 39

IJmuiden as important landing port for fresh North Sea fish species

plaice (-67%), sole (-67%), turbot (-61%), dab (-59%) and brill (-54%). It is

and trade expected to have fewer landings of sole, turbot and brill

noteworthy that precisely the species that are caught a lot by the flyshoot

IJmuiden has, next to Urk, the most important and largest fish auction in

fisheries will also decrease based on the registered cutters. Those registered

terms of economic turnover and landed weight of North Sea fish in the

vessels with Vlissingen as main landing port do not apply flyshoot fishing but

Netherlands. The IJmuiden fish cluster is known for the fresh trade of luxury

rather beam trawling. Thus it is likely that the landed fish species as squid,

North Sea fish species such as sole, turbot and brill. These species are

mullet, mackerel and red gurnard are bycatch species as these beam trawlers

especially attractive to the domestic and European food service such as

often fish in similar waters as the flyshoot fishery.

catering. It is precisely these more luxurious species that are expected to be
landed less after the decommissioning of cutters based on landed weight in

Den Helder’s entire infrastructure may disappear after

2021: sole (-71%), turbot (-71%) and brill (-70%). This decrease in landed

decommissioning

weight will negatively affect the local fish processing chain economically. Fresh

For the fish cluster Den Helder belonging to the fisheries region Kop van

North Sea fish is a specialty of the fish traders in this fish cluster. They may be

Noord-Holland, the future will be uncertain, because the landed weight may

able to partly divert to imported aquaculture species or fresh fish from other

drop sharply (-50%) and because almost all flatfish cutters from this fisheries

countries but these are often of lower quality or less unique to the fresh trade

region are registered for decommissioning. The fish auction in Den Helder was

aimed at foodservice. Landed species from the flyshoot fishery are of

already closed in 2022 due to the expected decline in landings of North Sea

increasing importance to this fish cluster. These landed species such as squid,

fish.

mullet, mackerel and red gurnard are of high quality and are less affected by
the decommissioning of cutters. The total landings of North Sea fish for Dutch

Economic future sustainability for flatfish landing ports and the

fish auctions will decrease after decommissioning. It is expected that the two

Netherlands as European leader in flatfish uncertain due to decrease in

largest fish auctions Urk and IJmuiden will try hard to bind cutters to their

landings weight after decommissioning

auction and related services.

The Netherlands has the largest share of European fishing rights (European
catch quotas) for many flatfish species such as plaice and sole. The Dutch

For the Zuidwest-Nederland fisheries region, Vlissingen fish auction

cutter fisheries is mainly dependent from commercial perspective on targeting

and, to a lesser extent, Stellendam are particularly affected in terms of

sole, plaice and brown shrimp. In 2021 these three most important commercial

landed weight

species represented together 78% of the total revenues (landed value) of the

The Zuidwest-Nederland fisheries region is best known for its extensive

12 main commercial species (Table 4.4). Total landed value of these 12 species

geographical area with several fish clusters spread across the islands of

together was €200m with €66m of sole, €52m of brown shrimp and €38m of

provinces Zuid-Holland and Zeeland. This fisheries region is pre-eminently

plaice in 2021 (VIRIS/Bedrijveninformatienet, n.d.). The total value of landings

specialised in the technical services surrounding shipbuilding and maintenance.

for the 12 species of North Sea fish (Table 4.4) by registered vessels was

Due to the expected decrease in landed weight for the port of Vlissingen

€89 million in 2021. This was about 40% of the total revenue (€224 million) in

(-52%) based on 2021, after decommissioning, it is likely that the fish auction

landings of North Sea fish by the Dutch cutter fishery in 2021. The Netherlands

here will come under economic pressure. The Vlissingen fish auction lands

fish clusters are specialised in processing and trading flatfish species. The

several flag cutters owned by Dutch families, particularly British-flagged

registered cutters represented 62% and 63% of the total landed weight in

cutters because the relationship between British and French fishermen is often

2021 for plaice and sole alone. This puts the European leading position and

strained in the port of Boulogne. In addition to the landings of these British

specialisation for the Netherlands under pressure if this decrease in landed

and foreign-flagged cutters, several Dutch cutters with home ports in the

weight actually follows after decommissioning. The landing ports and fish

fisheries region Zuidwest-Nederland are expected to decommission. This

clusters dependent on brown shrimp are less adversely affected economically

explains the expected decrease in flatfish species such as lemon sole (-94%),

by the decommissioning of cutters. However, these fish clusters dependent on

40 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

brown shrimp such as the Waddenkust and parts of the Kop van Noord-Holland

Table 4.5

(Wieringen/Den Oever) and Zuidwest-Nederland (Stellendam) face other

active cutters per home port in 2021

challenges from policy decisions and market developments. For example, the
restrictive nitrogen legislation for granting fishing licenses in Natura-2000

Number of registered vessels for decommissioning as share of

Home port

Fisheries region

#

areas such as the Wadden Sea, closures of areas for fishing and market price
fluctuations due to strong fluctuations in supply from the catchability of
shrimp.

# active % reg. of total

registered

Dutch

active cutter

vessels

cutters in

fleet in home

home port

port

Urk

Urk

33

74

45%

Den Helder

Kop van Noord-Holland

6

12

50%

Goedereede

Zuidwest-Nederland

5

12

42%

Texel

Kop van Noord-Holland

5

16

31%

Arnemuiden

Zuidwest-Nederland

5

7

71%

Katwijk

Katwijk-Scheveningen

5

7

71%

The Netherlands has 44 fishing communities (Kraan et al. 2023), 12 of these

Wieringen/Den Oever

Kop van Noord-Holland

4

45

9%

have fishing vessels registered for decommissioning (Table 4.5). We see that in

Zoutkamp

Waddenkust

2

21

10%

absolute numbers the home port of Urk will most likely loose most cutters with

Tholen

Zuidwest-Nederland

2

4

50%

33 vessels being registered. Based on the year 2020 there is even one more

Stellendam

Zuidwest-Nederland

1

7

14%

vessel registered with Urk as home port (thus 34 in total). The rest of the

Vlissingen

Zuidwest-Nederland

1

2

50%

fishing communities loose between 1 and 6 cutters (Table 4.5).

Yerseke

Zuidwest-Nederland

4.3

12 home ports have vessels registered for
the decommissioning scheme

Totals

However, as share of the total active Dutch cutters, the home ports of

1
70

8
215

13%
33%

Source: VIRIS/Bedrijveninformatienet, n.d.

Arnemuiden and Katwijk (both 71%) will lose the largest proportion of their
active cutter fleet in 2021. Den Helder, Tholen and Vlissingen see their fleet
being halved (50%).

Whereas fish auctions and the fish processing chain depend on landed weight,
the technical and service supply industry benefits mainly from the number of
cutters operating in ports. Namely, shipbuilders, ship carpenters, painters, net
makers, port services, installers etcetera mainly perform services on board or
around vessels. As most fishers tend to maintain their vessels in their home
ports, the fish clusters in the fisheries regions of Zuidwest-Nederland and Urk
will experience the most negative consequences of decommissioning cutters
due to the large number and share of cutters that will disappear here. In Den
Helder within the fisheries region of Kop van Noord-Holland, as mentioned
earlier, the entire infrastructure of the fish cluster will be under pressure after
the decommissioning of cutters.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 41

4.4

Social impact per mainly affected region
summarised

Urkers make use of other landing harbours than Urk as a result of damming of
lake IJssel in 1932, the effect of the Urker fleet decommissioning is felt
elsewhere. Harbours such as Harlingen, IJmuiden, Eemshaven and harbours
outside the Netherlands (in Denmark and France) will also be affected by a

The effect of the exit of the registered vessels through the decommissioning

decreasing number of fishing vessels making use of the harbour facilities and

scheme thus is multifaceted, depending on if one looks to the homeport or

of the auction (IJmuiden).

(main) landing port, at the absolute or relative numbers; resulting in mixed
effects and in all regions as well as outside the Netherlands (Denmark mainly).

Kop van Noord-Holland
In total 15 vessels are registered to be decommissioned, hailing from

Urk

Den Helder, Wieringen and Texel. Especially Den Helder (-50%) and Texel

Urk is expected to be severely impacted by the decommissioning scheme.

(-31%) are hit hard by the decommissioning scheme. In addition to the direct

33 (data 2021) to 34 (data 2020) vessels are registered to be

decommissioning, a number of vessels from Texel have recently be sold to

decommissioned. That means that the Dutch flagged cutter fleet will reduce

other fishing companies in other regions, hence no longer hail from Texel.

with 45%. As there are still 44 fishing vessels under foreign flag, the fishing
community does remain larger than these data suggest. Still it is a significant

Most of these vessels were large beam trawlers that landed their fish in

amount of people affected.

Den Helder. As the impact of this was already foreseen, the auction closed its
doors in 2022. This has resulted in the jobs of the 22 fish sorters being lost.

The impact of these companies exiting fishing will have knock on effects in the

From participants of the regional meeting held in Den Helder we heard that the

fish chain (see above) especially since Urkers bring their fish to the Urker

auction in Den Helder provided the option for restaurants in the region to buy

auction, have a fish processing industry in the community which likely will also

their fish (in the small quantities they need) directly from the auction. Tourism

be affected by the reduction of the Urker fleet as well as of the wider Dutch

is important for the sunny coast of Den Helder and Texel. This short value

fleet. Urk is specialised in processing plaice, so with a reduction of 62% in

chain was said to be unique, not only providing fresh fish for restaurants but

weight of landed plaice this might result in additional job losses affecting more

also contributing to the ‘story’ of fish and fisheries in the region. Participants

families in Urk. It could be however that these effects are less impactful as the

expressed their concern that the role fisheries in the sense of place of the

fish chain might find ways to adapt and thereby maintain jobs. However

region would be severely affected.

specified processing lines for North Sea fish might lose capacity, and if in the
future capacity might grow, it is uncertain if these increases can be handled

Zuidwest-Nederland

(Hoekstra et al. 2023). The VCU, the fisher cooperative, will probably also have

In this region the mussel and shellfish fishery is important, this is not part of

to find a way to deal with many fishers leaving the industry and wanting to pull

this study but important to mention when discussing impacts on fishing

out of the cooperative,25 in addition to fewer customers in the community.

communities. For instance Yerseke is mainly known for its mussels and Oysters
fleet and culture. In addition to this, the region has cutter fisheries and small-

At the regional meetings held in Urk we heard that Urkers have experienced

scale fisheries. It is a region spread over multiple islands in Zuid Holland and

more crises to the (fishing) economy and every time Urk was able to bounce

Zeeland. Especially sole fisheries are important for the South, fished on by

back. There is a strong perception of resilience in the community, and fish and

cutters from Arnemuiden, Vlissingen, Goederede and Stellendam. With

fisheries still are a strong part of the Urker identity (Kraan et al. 2023). As

15 vessels being registered for decommissioning and the spread of the region

25

Fishers are owners of the cooperative and thus have invested in the company. If they want to
be bought out of the company, the cooperative needs to be able to do so. If many fishers
want this at the same time this is difficult.

42 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

it makes sense to zoom in to some of the different communities. In
Arnemuiden 5 of 7 cutters are registered. From Fieldwork undertaken in
Arnemuiden we know that fisheries is very important for the communities’
identity with a lot of fisheries material cultural heritage visible in town.
Everywhere references are made to fishing (Kraan et al. 2023). Whether this
will affect the importance of fishing for the identity of the community remains
to be seen. From literature we know that community members might continue
to identify themselves with fishing even if it is mainly an historical activity.
Tourism is a very important industry in Zeeland and fish and fisheries is an
important part of the sense of place in Zeeland (Kraan et al. 2023). Some of
the communities in Zuid West Nederland are already experiencing loss of job
opportunities and inhabitants moving out (in so-called contraction regions)
thus in such cases these developments add up to the list of decreased
opportunities.
Stellendam is a harbour which is the main landing port for a couple of vessels
likely to decommission. The fleet and the auction are part of a fisheries hub, to
which also two shipyards and an innovation centre belong. The auction works
closely together with the auction in Scheveningen. The fleet has experienced
difficulty in persuading the local government to keep the waterway ‘het
Slijkgat’ open, it might become more difficult to keep fishing on the agenda.
Also fishing festivities might be more difficult to organise. Already in 2022
Vlaggetjesdag (Literally translated Flagsday)26 in Stellendam was not
organised.

26

Vlaggetjesdag is how a number of fishing festivals in the Netherlands are called. This is an
inherited tradition from the Herring fleet, which started its fishing season in June by cleaning
and maintaining the vessels (after a winter of lying idle) and decorated with flags. The first
mention of celebrating flags day was in 1858 (Kraan et al. 2023).

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 43

5

Discussion

5.1

Framework of the study

Given the timeline of the project, to report in a timely manner to the Dutch
House of Representatives, and the data availability at the time the study was
conducted, the expected effects of the decommissioning scheme are
investigated using six what-if-scenarios based on the historical activities of
2018-2021. Here, we do not project what would happen with and without the
decommissioning scheme in the current economic and regulatory context nor
do we investigate the factors leading to the decision to join the decommission
scheme or not. And although those questions could also be investigated, the
extra time needed would have jeopardised the desired completion date.

5.2

The Dutch decommissioning scheme: Fixed
price per gross ton, no added compensation
for quotas

of the registered vessels were still profitable a few years ago speaks for the lack
of confidence in the future currently held by Dutch (flatfish beam trawl) fishers.
Scheme was less attractive for large quota holders
The scheme offered a fixed price per gross ton (plus an extra value for the
larger cutters) to scrap a vessel. This value was based on the total economic
value of the average fishing unit of the vessels concerned, including the
average economic value of licences and individual transferable quota (van
Oostenbrugge et al. 2022a). The fact that the vessel owners also have to
return their individual transferable quotas attached to the vessel and that the
compensation is not adjusted for the size of the individual transferable quotas,
came as surprises to the fishers when the scheme was announced and led to
anger and disappointment.27 For fishers who heavily invested in quota and still
have loans that will not be fully compensated by the compensation, this may
have been one of the considerations not to enter the scheme, as the
reimbursement of their current debts can be a strong determinant in choosing
to participate in a decommissioning scheme (Curtis and Jones 2016).

Unusual profile of vessel registered to decommissioned as they are rather

Wider economic context unfavourable to beam-trawls

larger, more actively used and profitable

Record high fuel prices have been observed since the end of 2021 and

Unlike, what is usually seen in this kind of scheme, the Dutch decommissioning

particularly since February/March 2022 throughout 2022, and have been

scheme will see relatively large, actively used and profitable (outside the fuel

putting pressure on the Dutch cutter fleet when the decommissioning scheme

price crisis) vessels leave the fishery, and not only ‘lemons’ (i.e. vessels that

opened (Deetman et al. 2022). The high fuel prices have had a double

would have to be scrapped regardless of the scheme, often valued lower than

negative effect on the fishery, as it reduced the profit for the vessel owners,

the financial compensation offered through the scheme see Squires 2010 for a

and it decreased the remuneration of the crew, usually paid on a share system

review of the decommissioning schemes in fisheries worldwide). According to

of the value of landings of which a number of costs (including fuel costs) have

Squires (2010), vessel owners would participate in a decommissioning scheme

been removed. The lower remuneration, coupled with a very tight labour

only if the price set is attractive enough. If the price is set too low, the vessel

market at the moment in the Netherlands meant that crew members could

owner may try to sell their vessel at a higher market value. The fact that many

easily chose a better-paying job on land.

27

https://vissersbond.nl/verbazing-en-teleurstelling-over-desaneringsvoorwaarden/#:~:text=De%20Nederlandse%20Vissersbond%20en%20PO,22%20j
uli%202022%20heeft%20aangekondigd%20.

44 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

5.3

Use of scenarios to address some unknowns

Uncertainty about the final decommissioned vessels but the expected number
of vessel decommissioning is high
At the end of July 2023, the final number of vessels decommissioned through
this scheme will be known. To be able to anticipate the potential effects of the
scheme on the fishing clusters, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and
Food Quality asked Wageningen Economic Research to run this analysis despite
the added uncertainty on the vessels decommissioning. In this study, we used
sensitivity analysis to assess what would happen if instead of the 71 registered
vessels ‘only’ 80% or 90% of those vessels on the list exited the fishery. At the
time of writing, three months before the deadline, 42 vessels are already
scrapped or in the process of being so. These vessels represent 59% of the
registered vessels, PO representatives estimate that probably 65 vessels will
be removed through the scheme, or 90% of the registered vessels (Duk 2023).
Knowing which fisher stops is also important
Even if the number of vessels leaving through the scheme is known, knowing
which vessel and therefore fisher is leaving is also important as fishers have
different levels of activity, use different gears to target different species, and
land in different harbours. All those factors determine the likely level of impact
and also where it will be felt. Here we assumed that the fishers linked to the
registered vessels will stop, while the other will stay and even potentially
increase their activity. However, it also seems that this time has been
important for the whole fleet to evaluate their future opportunities and some
vessels are changing hands, and regions. So it should be noted that the
impacts described here are only the expected impact directly due to the
decommissioning scheme.
The likelihood for remaining vessels to increase their fishing effort is slim
On average, the days at sea of the remaining vessels could increase by 15% if
we assume that the fisher fish as hard as the most active vessels of their
fishing segment. However, the mechanisms by which this would happen are
unclear. The decommissioning scheme will free up quota (in the first few years
through the producer organisations), but the Dutch quota of the main target
28

species sole and plaice have not been constraining for a few years as fishers
have dealt with low catch rates. If people had wanted to fish harder they
already could have rented more quotas (assuming the quotas were available
on the market and it was financially interesting to do so). While space (or
rather the lack thereof) is expected to become an issue with the development
of offshore wind farms and the implementation of gear restrictions in marine
protected areas, most plans are not active yet and crowding effects)28 between
fishers has not been identified as an issue yet. The availability of qualified crew
members could have been seen as a restriction. In the phone survey, active
fishers mentioned that they may actually end up changing gears (from beam
trawl to twin trawl) and switch target species as they have trouble finding sole
but no major change in the level of days at sea was expected.

5.4

Potential longer-term effects what will
happen to the quota

On the short term, the quota for sole and plaice returned by the vessel owners
that are decommissioned will be given to the POs for them to redistribute. On
the long term, the Dutch government will have to decide to whom and under
what conditions the quota can be reallocated. However, it seems unlikely that
the quota will be used by a fleet similar to the one currently leaving the
fishery. So the question is who could use that quota?
• Small-scale 12-mile zone for sole? they could already have increased their
fishing as the Dutch sole quotas haven’t been used in the past years.
However it would require much more effort than the current effort to
compensate for the sole landings of the decommissioned vessels. Fishers
experience that sole is difficult to catch in the coastal waters, they suspect
impact of wind farms, dredging and climate change in addition to less food in
coastal waters due to less eutrophication. Increasing the utilisation of the
Dutch small-scale fleet could lead to more fishing days in this relatively low
utilised fleet (on average 13 to 33 sea days per year, see Table 2.1).
• Smaller cutter? A Dutch Eurocutter is attractive as the NL have historical
fishing rights in coastal waters of DK, Bel and GER. A smaller cutter also uses
less fuel and can be flexible (if one has the rights and the technical
possibilities to fish both with beam trawl and otter trawl).

Crowding effect is when fishing becomes less attractive in an area due to too many fishers
active in the area.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 45

• Flagged vessels coming back under Dutch flag ➔ what will be the conditions
for quota access when the government take possession of them. According

active anymore (or really small), that fishing can still remain important for the
communities identity. This would require further research.

to Art17 of CFP, it should take sustainability factors and social factors into
account. Although there seem to be ‘enough’ quotas, there is not much

The added value fishing has for society is linked to the way fishing is organised

space left in terms of KW and GT to expand the Dutch fleet. Mainly UK

(Kraan et al. 2023). Three trends are good to mention in this respect:

flagged vessels seem to be interested, due to the difficulties they encounter

consolidation resulting in more fishing companies instead of owner-operator

entering UK ports whilst fishing in the channel. German and Belgian flagged

businesses, foreign crew and continuous fishing. Traditionally demersal fishing

vessels seem to be happy where they are (phone survey).

in the Netherlands is done by family businesses with relatives and community
members on board fishing in a partnership agreement and from Monday to

5.5

Impact to be felt in all fisheries regions

Looking at the main landing port or home port, the regional impact is
considerable in the sense that all fishing regions in the Netherlands will likely
be impacted by the reduction of the fleet due to the decommissioning scheme;
either as one or more main landing ports are affected by less catches, or by
absolute or relative high numbers of fishing vessels decommissioning resulting
in loss of jobs in fisheries, processing and auxiliary services.
As fishing is not only a job, but also has socio-cultural value, the impact is
more than economic. A decline of a fleet in a home port might impact, besides
the social wellbeing of the fishers and their families involved, the identity of
the fishing community where the active fleet is an important carrier of the
immaterial cultural heritage (such as fishing festivals). The way fisheries are
socially organised as historical family businesses with relatives and community
members on board means that fishing in the communities contributes to the
social cohesion and social wellbeing of the place (Kraan et al. 2023).
We cannot predict how the socio-cultural importance of fisheries will develop
over time for each of the fishing communities, nor what the social impact is of
the decline of the Dutch fleet per fishing community. What we do know is that
a decline in family businesses will affect the anchoring role these businesses
have in fishing communities. Also that a smaller active fleet may result in
further impacts on the fishing experience in communities as there will be less
capacity to organise and fund fishing-related festivities (e.g. Vlaggetjesdag). If
this happens in a region already experiencing loss of job opportunities and
inhabitants moving out, this may hit harder, both in the fishery (chain) and for
tourism. At the same time we have seen in communities where fishing is not

46 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Friday. The latter is because of a large part of the fishers being religious which
entails being home on Sunday to go to church (Schadeberg et al. 2021; Kraan
et al. 2023). In the last decades we have seen all three aspects slowly
changing.
Over time more and more owner-operator businesses have been quitting, with
fishing companies becoming larger by acquiring more vessels, joining with
other families and sometimes by vertically integrating including processing and
trading (Schadeberg et al. 2021). Besides the decommissioning scheme in
2022 a number of vessels have been sold from owner operators to fishing
companies. In some of these fishing companies crew do not work in a
partnership agreement but as employee, changing the social structure of
fishing.
Another change that has started to occur is that more fishing companies, as
well as owner-operators hail their crew from outside the Netherlands. In 2022
one fifth of the companies had foreign crew on board (Kraan et al. 2023). Also
in other EU countries non-nationals fish in the EU fleets (such as Ireland)
(European Commission. Joint Research Centre. and European Commission.
Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries. 2022) also a factor
changing the social structure of the fleet.
Lastly, more and more fishers have started fishing continuously. Although this
is common in Denmark and Germany, in the Netherlands this was not done
due to social and religious norms. Kraan et al. (2023) found that 9% of the
crew said to fish continuously, but the increased acceptance of a continuous
rhythm is also evident from logbook data as Schadeberg et al. (2021) have
shown. This change means an increase in effort, a change of the social
structure and norm (at least for a part of the fleet). It is good to mention that

some fishers also explain how this rhythm allows them more time with their
family and seeing more of their kids as they now also are home during the
weeks they do not fish. This is linked to another social norm that is changing,
that men should spend more time with their kids which is appreciated by both
fishers and their spouses (Kraan et al. 2023).
So although we cannot predict what will happen we do know that the
configuration of the industry will change. The current reorganisation of the
fleet (mainly due to the decommissioning scheme) may lead to further
consolidation, which means a further decline in family businesses and skipperowners, it may lead to further changes in fishing rhythm (more continuous
fishing) or in the social organisation of the crew: more foreign workers and or
less fishers fishing via the fisheries agreement culture (which still is the
standard). Each of these developments may have ‘side effects’ on how the
fishery is organised and on what the fishery brings to whom. It is
recommended to monitor these developments.
It is complex to predict the extent to which onshore companies like fish
processors and technical and service suppliers are able to fall back on
alternatives. This provides uncertainty about the socio-economic effects of
decommissioning for the fish clusters per fisheries region.
There are also many interactions and spill over effects between the fish
clusters of Dutch fisheries regions. As far as possible these are taken into
account. However, the cumulative effect of the spill overs for national level
could even provide a stronger knock-on situation rather than the described
effects expected per fisheries region.
In the socio-economic effects foreseen for fish clusters there is only a 100%
scenario taken into account. This means all 71 registered vessels are perceived
as decommissioning while the actual number of registered vessels that will
decommission is less than 71. Therefore the expected decrease in number of
vessels and landing weight per fisheries region could be less than is described
within Chapter 4.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 47

6

Conclusions

Half of the eligible vessels registered for the decommissioning scheme

producer organisation estimates that up to 90% of the registered vessels are

although uncertainty remains around the number of vessels that will actually

expected to stop.

decommission
Unusual profile of vessels registered limits the risk to offset the effort and
The cutter fleet registered massively for the scheme

catch of the scrapped vessels by increasing individual effort

Out of the 146 vessels eligible29 for the scheme, 139 are cutters and 7 pelagic
trawlers. The eligible vessels are the cutter fleet targeting demersal fish in the

Larger, more active vessels registered for the decommissioning scheme

greater North Sea with beam trawls, otter trawls and flyshoot and the pelagic

While it is usually the older, less active vessels that are decommissioned first

fleet. The smaller vessels operating in the coastal areas or targeting shellfish

in case studies found in literature, here, the registered vessels are actually

or the shrimp cutters are not eligible for the scheme. Half of the eligible cutter

among the most active, most profitable of the cutter fleet. As a result, it is

vessels, 71 out of our estimated 139, were registered to be scrapped on

unlikely that the remaining vessels can increase their effort in such a way as

1 April 2023, those vessels represent 24% of the number of vessels in the

to offset the effects of the exit of the vessels on the total fleet activity (in

cutter fleet and 13% of total Dutch fleet. This means that up to a quarter of

terms of effort and catch).

the Dutch cutter fleet is expected to leave the fishery and the impact of the
decommissioning of the registered fleet will be felt dearly at the national and

The context at the time of the registration played a role in who

regional level.

decommissioned
At the time of registration, the fuel prices were at record high with a few

No pelagic vessel registered

months of high prices having already depleted the financial reserves of some

Despite the fact that the decommissioning scheme was also open for the

fishers, the last of the pulse licences stopped a year earlier, definitely closing

pelagic fleet, and that none of the Dutch pelagic trawlers applied for the

the door to a technology that had allowed fishers to save substantially on fuel

scheme. The fixed price per gross ton for vessels of that size was estimated

consumption, and the Dutch quotas for North Sea sole and plaice were largely

too low to be financially interesting.

underused (less than half of the quotas was caught in 2021 and 2022). This
context was particularly unfavourable for the flatfish fishery. With low catches

Uncertainty remains on the actual number of vessels leaving

and increasing fuel costs not only is the profit of the vessel owners under

The actual number of vessels that will leave the fishery is still unknown but

pressure, but also the remuneration of the crew members decreases, making

already 42 of those vessels (59% of the registered vessels) were known to be

it difficult to retain or attract crew members.

scrapped and completely cease their activities and a representative of a

29

We estimated eligibility against two of the criteria of the scheme, i.e. minimum 90 days
activity a year for two consecutive years over the 2018-2021 period and 20% of the landings
in the list of stocks impacted by the Brexit. Other criteria, including whether a vessel is
eligible due to penalty points were left out for privacy reasons.

48 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Flatfish landings in balance with post-Brexit quotas, unlike pelagic species

The expected economic performance of the remaining cutter fleet worsens

The expected reduction of effort and landings due to the decommissioning of

Activity of the cutter fleet decreases in larger proportion than the number of

flatfish beam trawlers exceeds the reduction of quotas due to Brexit

vessels in the fleet

Most of the flatfish beam trawl fleet (registered vessels represented 63% of

The expected total activity (effort and landing figures) of the cutter fleet

the flatfish beam-trawl effort in the 2018-2021 period) is likely to exit the

decreases faster than the number of vessels because the registered vessels

fishery through the scheme, bringing the expected landings of flatfish in

were more at sea than the other cutters during the 2018-2021 period, they

balance with the post-Brexit flatfish quotas. The Dutch share of North Sea sole

landed more per unit of effort and the average price of their landings was also

quotas will decrease by 13.3% in 2026 compared to pre-Brexit share and the

higher. Even in the scenarios where the remaining fleet increases their effort,

reduction in landings of our scenario ranges from a 63% reduction in sole

the expected decrease in landings and value of landings was stronger than of

landings if all registered vessels stop and none of the rest of the fleet increase

the vessels and effort.

their effort towards sole) down to 32% if ‘only’ 80% of the registered vessels
actually leave and the remaining vessels increase their activity. The expected

Leading to lower profit for the cutter fishery

reduction in landings is similar for North Sea plaice while the share of quotas

The registered vessels also had higher costs and much higher profit, in the

will not be reduced by 2026.

2018-2021 period. Those were years when the pulse trawl was still used but
being phased out of the flatfish fishery and fuel prices were relatively low,

Cod could become choke species

resulting in profitable years for the larger flatfish beam trawlers despite a

The risk that cod, for which Dutch quota share will decrease by 19% in 2026,

declining trend (Wageningen Economic Research 2022a). Removing the

becomes a choke species is limited but higher than for flatfish. In two of the

positive economic result of those vessels, the total profit of the cutter fleet

six scenarios of this study, the landings decrease by a lower percentage than

decreases by 70% if all the registered vessels leave and the remaining fleet

the Dutch quota share decrease (15 and 18% landings decrease compared to

does not react. However, given the development since 2021 (complete ban on

19% for the quotas), this coupled to the fact that the Dutch quotas for cod are

pulse, high fuel prices and low catchability of flatfish) it is likely that the

almost fully used annually makes North Sea cod a potential choke species.

profitability of the registered vessels drastically decreased, and that the
decommissioning scheme prevented some bankruptcies.

The expected landings of pelagic species remains unchanged by the
decommissioning scheme

By removing the most profitable vessels, the average profitability of the

The Dutch quota share of the important pelagic species herring, mackerel,

remaining fleet is lowered

horse mackerel and blue whiting will decrease by respectively 10.8%, 24.8%,

The expected average individual profitability goes down in all scenarios. This

4.3% and 1.5%, however not a single pelagic vessel registered for the

is primarily due to the selection of less historically profitable vessels in the

decommissioning scheme. The unbalance between the post-Brexit quotas and

remaining fleet. Increasing the effort of individual vessels led to improved

the pelagic capacity is therefore not improved through this scheme and the

individual profitability.

likelihood of being a choke species is high for the pelagic stocks.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 49

Harbours in all regions will be impacted, either because the number of fishing

We cannot predict how the socio-cultural importance of fisheries will develop

vessels decreases or the landings decrease

over time for each of the fishing communities, nor what the social impact is of
the decline of the Dutch fleet per fishing community. What we do know is that

Five out of the six regions will be seriously impacted by the reduction of the

a decline in family businesses will affect the anchoring role these businesses

cutter fleet

have in fishing communities. Also that a smaller active fleet may result in

Table 6.1 provides an overview of the socio-economic effects when Dutch

further impacts on the fishing experience in communities as there will be less

cutters are decommissioned. Especially the fisheries regions Urk, Southwest

capacity to organise and fund fishing-related festivities (e.g. Vlaggetjesdag).

Netherlands, Kop van Noord-Holland, Wadden Coast and IJmuiden are

If this happens in a region already experiencing loss of job opportunities and

expected to experience the largest social, economic and cultural negative

inhabitants moving out, this may hit harder, both in the fishery (chain) and

effects due to the disappearance of many flatfish cutters after

for tourism. At the same time we have seen in communities where fishing is

decommissioning. See also Chapter 4 for a comprehensive analysis per

not active anymore (or really small), that fishing can still remain important for

fisheries region what the specialisation and characteristics of fish clusters and

the communities identity. This would require further research. The added

fishing communities are per fisheries region. There are also many interactions

value fishing has for society is linked to the way fishing is organised (Kraan

and spill over effects between the fish clusters of Dutch fisheries regions.

et al. 2023). Three trends are good to mention in this respect: consolidation
resulting in more fishing companies instead of owner-operator businesses,

Disappearing skills onboard and onland (processing industry) could be a

foreign crew and continuous fishing. So although we cannot predict what will

tipping point for the Netherlands

happen we do know that the configuration of the industry will change. The

The relatively large share of registered vessels in the total cutter fleet

current reorganisation of the fleet (mainly due to the decommissioning

excluding shrimp in the above four fisheries regions will put pressure on the

scheme) may lead to further consolidation, which means a further decline of

national chain and infrastructure onshore for North Sea fisheries. It is

family businesses and skipper-owners, it may lead to further changes in

expected that the fish processing chain and technical and service supply

fishing rhythm (more continuous fishing) or in the social organisation of the

industry will seek alternatives as far as possible such as fish sourced from

crew: more foreign workers and or less fishers fishing via the fisheries

elsewhere or services in offer in other sectors. However, there is a risk that in

agreement culture (which still is the standard). Each of these developments

the future the Dutch fish clusters will no longer be equipped to process North

may have ‘side effects’ on how the fishery is organised and on what the

Sea fish and maintain or build cutters. If more food can be sustainably caught

fishery brings to whom. Whether these possible developments are a problem

from the North Sea (here: North Sea fish) in the future with a future-proof

or not is a societal choice. It is recommended to monitor these developments

Dutch fishing fleet, the question is whether there will be enough companies

as they have social consequences.

onshore that are willing and able to process North Sea fish. This also applies
to the technical and service supply industry that may not have specialist
knowledge in-house for the maintenance and construction of cutters for food
extraction in the North Sea.

50 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Table 6.1

Regional impact of the decommissioning scheme. The impacts are computed in percentage change relative to the 2018-2021 situation, taking only the

decommissioning of vessels as for the 100% no reaction scenario. For reference, the average total annual historical value for the 2018-2021 period is given in
parenthesis. *variables for which the regional impact is estimated based on the landing region and not the home region of the vessels. ** change in profit is given
for the cutter fleet only, change in profit is not expected for other fleets as a result of the decommissioning scheme.+ the historical profit of the Wadden Sea cutter
fleet was negative, so the decrease means a decrease in losses
Fishery scenario relative to 2018-2021

Chain onshore

Community

companies 2021
Region
1.Urk

Registered

Active

vessels

Vessels

Seadays

Cutter

34

-40%

-50%

-844%

(83

(13.156

(€0.3m)

vessels)

seadays)

Landings*

Value of

Number of

landings*

companies

-76% (0.06

-77%

96

kilotonnes)

(€0.2m)

profit**

employment
4,150

Fishing communities
Fisheries play an important role in the Urker

Urk

identity, thus with the fleet of Urk likely to
reduce with 45%, impact is significant. This
also affects the fish chain as the Urker fleet
brings it fish, landed elsewhere, back home
to be traded and processed. The cooperative
will also notice this shrinkage. However there
is a strong perception of resilience in the
community.

2.ZuidwestNederland

15

-9%

-29%

-57%

-10% (47

-36%

(175

(10.443

(€9.5m)

kilotonnes)

(€63m)

vessels)

seadays)

56

2,100

All communities with cutter fishers are

Arnemuiden, Oostbrug-

affected, in terms of relative numbers

Breskens, Bruinisse, Bergen op

Arnemuiden mostly, then Tholen and

Zoom, Goedereede, Goes,

Vlissingen, Goedereede, Stellendam and

Hontenisse, Kortgene,

Yerseke. Zeeland is mainly known for its

Klundert, Middenschouwen,

shellfish fishery. Yerseke is a good example,

Ouddorp, Stellendam, Tholen,

it has a large shellfish fishery and industry.

Vlaardingen, Vlissingen,

Stellendam and Vlissingen are both also

Westerschouwen, Yerseke,

landing ports, with an auction. These

Zierikzee

southern ports are important for the fishery
in the southern North Sea and Channel. With
less cutters frequenting Stellendam, it might
be more difficult for the remaining fleet to
convince local government to keep the
waterway towards the port open. Impact of a
decline of fisheries in this region might have
relative more impact as some regions are
contracting regions.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 51

Fishery scenario relative to 2018-2021

Chain onshore

Community

companies 2021
3.Wadden

2

coast

-2% (77

-3%

-19%+

-27% (26

-36%

vessels)

(6.556

(€1.7m)

kilotonnes)

(€74m)

27

1,900

Waddencoast is mainly important as home

Wonseradeel, Finsterwolde,

harbour to shrimp fishers. Yet Harlingen is an Harlingen, Lemsterland-

seadays)

important harbour for Urker cutters, and

Lemmer, Ulrum-Lauwersoog,

Eemshaven as well yet to a lesser degree,.

Oostdongeradeel, Termunten,

So the waddenkust is affected because of

Terschelling, Usquert, Vlieland,

Urker fishers being registered for

Westdongeradeel, Zoutkamp

decommissioning. Impact of a decline of
fisheries in this region might have relative
more impact as some regions are contracting
regions.
4.Katwijk/

5

Scheveningen

-12%

-21%

-39%

-1% (36

-8%

This region is mainly known as homeport for

(39

(4.763

(€1.1m)

kilotonnes)

(€25m)

the pelagic fleet. In addition most of the

vessels)

seadays)

0% (32)

0% (579

Katwijk, Scheveningen

Katwijker cutters are registered to be
decommissioned.

5.IJmuiden

0

-

seadays)

-3% (154

-21%

kilotonnes)

(€91m)

32

850

Although no vessels with IJmuiden as

IJmuiden

homeport are registered, it is still severely
impacted by the decommissioning scheme.
This region is mainly known for its fresh
flatfish value chain. It is with the latter
aspect that this region is affected. IJmuiden
is next to Urk the largest North sea fish
auction. It is also known as landing port for
the pelagic fleet, which is not affected by the
scheme.

6.Kop van
Noord-Holland

15

-13%

-27%

-39%

-32% (13

-42%

(113

(11.597

(€4.9m)

kilotonnes)

(€49m)

vessels)

seadays)

26

550

This region, mainly Den Helder and Texel, is
severely affected by the decommissioning
scheme. In addition a number of cutters from
this fleet have been sold. The auction
therefore already closed. The fleet consisted
of large beam trawlers (most registered to be
decommissioned) and a substantive shrimp
fleet (Wieringen). Respondents to the impact
study expressed concern that the role
fisheries play in the sense of place of the
region will diminish.

52 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Den Helder, Texel, Wieringen

Fishery scenario relative to 2018-2021

Chain onshore

Community

companies 2021
7.Other

0

0% (14

0%

vessels)

(1.408

-

-9% (54

-20%

kilotonnes)

(€64m)

seadays)

17

250

Here it is mainly ports outside of the

Ports outside the

Netherlands that are affected as a landing

Netherlands: Boulogne

port to part of the Urker fleet registered for

(France) and Hanstholm and

decommissioning.

Thyboron (Denmark)
Fishing communities in the
Netherlands, outside of the
fishery regions30 Enkhuizen,
Genemuiden, Harderwijk,
Nieuw-Beijerland, Staveren,
Edam-Volendam, Workum

30

These are often harbours with inland fisheries (binnenvisserij).

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 53

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M. A. P. M. van Asseldonk, P. Molenaar, J. A. E. van Oostenbrugge,
W. H. M. Baltussen, and N. T. Hintzen. 2019. Duurzame Noordzee
kottervisserij in ontwikkeling : Ervaringen, lessen en bouwstenen.
Wageningen Marine Research, IJmuiden.
Salz, P., E. W. J. Hoefnagel, M. Bavinck, L. Hoex, J. Bokhorst, E. Blok, and
J. Quaedvlieg. 2008. Maatschappelijke gevolgen van de achteruitgang in de
visserij. LEI, Den Haag.

Hoefnagel, E., and B. de Vos. 2017. Social and economic consequences of

Schadeberg, A., M. Kraan, and K. G. Hamon. 2021. Beyond métiers: social

40 years of Dutch quota management. Marine Policy 80:81–87.

factors influence fisher behaviour. ICES Journal of Marine Science

Hoekstra, F. F., Y. de Valk, and B. Deetman. 2023. Visclusters in Nederland
(nulmeting): omvang en afhankelijkheid voor de keten en toeleverende
industrie van Noordzeevisserij; Impactanalyse beleidsbeslissingen op de
keten van Nederlandse visserijregio’s. Wageningen Economic Research,
Rapport 2023-030, Wageningen.

78(4):1530–1541.
Squires, D. 2010. Fisheries buybacks: a review and guidelines. Fish and
Fisheries 11(4):366–387.
Stewart, B. D., C. Williams, R. Barnes, S. F. Walmsley, and G. Carpenter.
2022. The Brexit deal and UK fisheries—has reality matched the rhetoric?
Maritime Studies 21(1).

54 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Wageningen Economic Research. 2022a, September 30. Geraamde
nettoresultaat kottervisserij in 2021 verder omlaag en negatief.
https://agrimatie.nl/PublicatiePage.aspx?subpubID=2526&sectorID=2862&
themaID=2272&indicatorID=2871.
Wageningen Economic Research. 2022b, September 30. Vaartuigen en aanvoer
- Kottervisserij.
https://agrimatie.nl/PublicatiePage.aspx?subpubID=2526&sectorID=2862&
themaID=2286&indicatorID=2880.
Wageningen Economic Research. 2022c, October 24. Aanvoer van Noordzeevis
en garnalen in 2021 weer verder omlaag.
https://agrimatie.nl/PublicatiePage.aspx?subpubID=2526&sectorID=2862&
themaID=2857&indicatorID%20=%202871.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

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Appendix 1 Rules of the decommissioning
The BAR decommissioning scheme was officially published in July 2022.

Species (English)

Soort (Nederlands)

Area

Cod

Kabeljauw

ICES area 4; EU waters of ICES area 2a; the
part of 3a that doesn’t belong to Kattegat or

Annex I accompanies Article 2.2(2)(a) of the Scheme. It lists the fishery

Skagerrak

resources which are also included in Annexes 35 and 36 to the Trade and
Cooperation Treaty between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Species (English)

Soort (Nederlands)

Area

Alfonsino’s

EU waters and international waters of ICES
areas 3-10, 12 and 14

Zeeduivel

ICES area 7

Zeeduivel

EU waters of ICES area 2a and 4

Zeeduivel

ICES area 6, EU and international waters of

Cod

Kabeljauw

Cod

Kabeljauw

of ICES area 5b east of 12°00’W

areas 12 and 14
Cod

EU and international waters of ICES areas 5,

of ICES areas 1, 12 and 14
Diepzeehaaien

International waters of ICES area 12

Blauwe leng

EU and international waters of ICES areas 2

Evervis

EU and international waters of ICES areas 6,
7 and 8

Zwarte haarstaart

EU and international waters of ICES area 5,
6,7 and 12

Cod

Kabeljauw

ICES area 7a

Cod

Kabeljauw

ICES area 7d

ICES area 4; EU waters of area 2a

Schelvis

EU and international waters of ICES areas

Schelvis

ICES area 7a

Schelvis

EU and international waters of ICES area
6b; international waters of ICES areas 12
and 14

Schelvis

EU and international waters of ICES areas
5b, 6 and 7

Schelvis

5b and 6a

and 4
Blauwe leng

EU and international waters of ICES areas
5-9

6 and 7
Blauwe leng

ICES areas 6,7 and 8; EU and international
waters of ICES area 5; international waters

and 2
Grote zilversmelt

ICES areas 7b, 7c, 7e-7k; 8, 9 and 10 and
EU waters of CECAF area 34.1.1

EU and international waters of ICES areas 1
EU waters of ICES area 3a and 4

Kabeljauw
Doornhaai

area 12 and 14

Grote zilversmelt

ICES area 6b; EU and international waters
of ICES area 5b west of 12°00’W; ICES

ICES area 5b, international waters of ICES
Grote zilversmelt

ICES area 6a; EU and international waters

ICES area 6a; EU and international waters
of ICES area 5b

Herring

Haring

ICES area 7a north of 52°30’N

Herring

Haring

ICES areas 4 and 7d and EU waters of ICES

Herring

Haring

Herring

Haring

ICES areas 4c and 7d

Herring

Haring

EU and international waters of ICES areas

area 2a
EU and Norwegian waters of ICES area 4
north of 53° 30’ N

5b, 6b and 6a North
Herring

56 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Haring

ICES areas 7e and 7f

Species (English)

Soort (Nederlands)

Area

Annex II accompanies Article 2.3(2) of the scheme. It lists the amounts from

Herring

Haring

ICES areas 7g, 7h, 7j and 7k

which the subsidy amount is composed. These amounts include any alternative

Hake

Heek

EU waters of ICES areas 2a and 4

sources of income and are corrected to the net present value for a period of

Hake

Heek

ICES areas 6 and 7; EU and international

eight years. This period of eight years was chosen because it is expected that

waters of ICES area 5b; international waters

without support for the termination of their fishing activities, fishermen would

of ICES areas 12 and 14

continue their fishing activities for at least another eight years. The figures are

Horse Mackerel

Horsmakrelen

Wateren van de Unie van de ICES-sectoren
2a en 4a; ICES-deelgebied 6, ICES-sectoren
7a-c, 7e-k, 8a, 8b, 8d en 8e; wateren van
de Unie en internationale wateren van ICESsector 5b; internationale wateren van de
ICES-deelgebieden 12 en 14

Horse Mackerel

Horsmakrelen

constructed in such a way that the highest achievable amount per segment is
equal to the average yield of that segment corrected to the net present value.
This prevents overcompensation. An additional amount is included for the large
cutters segment, so that large cutters always receive a higher amount of
subsidy than vessels from the small cutters segment.

Wateren van de Unie van de ICES-sectoren
4b, 4c en 7d

Tongschar en witje

Wateren van de Unie van ICES-sector 2a en

Table A1.2 Compensation per gross ton for the decommissioning of a vessel

ICES-deelgebied 4

per gross tonnage category

Scharretongen

ICES-deelgebied 7

Scharretongen

Wateren van de Unie van ICES-sector 2a en
ICES-deelgebied 4

Scharretongen

ICES-deelgebied 6; wateren van de Unie en
internationale wateren van ICES-sector 5b;
internationale wateren van de ICES-

Category in gross tonnage

Amount per gross ton

Small cutters 0-178

€6,780

Large cutters* 179-573

€4,835

Pelagic trawlers 3,000-9,500

€71

* All vessels in this segment receive a base amount of €262,578 plus an amount per gross ton.

deelgebieden 12 en 14
Leng

Wateren van de Unie van ICES-sector 3a

Leng

Wateren van de Unie van ICES-deelgebied 4

Leng

ICES-deelgebieden 6–10; internationale
wateren van ICES-deelgebieden 12 en 14

Mackerel

Makreel

ICES-sector 3a en ICES-deelgebied 4;
wateren van de Unie van ICES-sectoren 2a,
3b, 3c en de ICES-deelsectoren 22–32

Mackerel

Makreel

ICES-deelgebieden 6 en 7, ICES-sectoren
8a, 8b, 8d en 8e; wateren van de Unie en
internationale wateren van ICES-sector 5b;
internationale wateren van ICES-sector 2a
en de ICES-deelgebieden 12 en 14

Nephrops

Langoustine

ICES-deelgebied 7

Nephrops

Langoustine

Wateren van de Unie van ICES-sector 2a en
ICES-deelgebied 4

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

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Appendix 2 Qualitative Methods
Regional meetings
Between June and August 2022 twelve regional meetings were held in
Den Helder, Lauwersoog, Urk, Ijmuiden, Scheveningen and Stellendam to
present the approach taken of the Impact Analysis Project and to collect
information about the current situation of the Dutch fishing sector, looking at
the impact of policy measures on the fishery, the fish chain and the fishing
communities. Both economic impacts as well as social and cultural impacts
were discussed. Separate meetings were organised for stakeholders related to
fishing and for those related to the fish chain (trade, auction, processing but

decommissioning scheme for cutters (which make up the majority of the fleet).
This first part of the meeting was followed by discussing different sets of
questions in the world cafe format. All the feedback that was received was
documented and analysed after coding the data in Atlas.ti, a qualitative coding
software. In this programme, texts can be analysed by attaching codes or
memos on the text. Codes can be seen as labels existing of one or multiple
words. By attaching codes to a specific part of the text, it becomes visible
when a certain topic is discussed.

Online survey

also supply industries). Of the fisheries meetings, one meeting focused on the
pelagic subsector and one meeting on the small scale coastal fleet. The rest of

As part of the wider impact study we conducted a survey to understand how

the fisher meetings were a mix but with a strong focus on the cutter fleet. It

fishers and their spouses themselves experienced the change in fisheries

was made sure that a wide variety of stakeholders were present, but the

policy. The survey allowed people to indicate the impact of all the changes in

groups were kept relatively small to allow for discussion. The world cafe

fisheries policy in recent years on the fleet, the fish chain and the fishing

method was used to make sure that everyone would have the opportunity to

communities. In the survey we also asked questions about decommissioning

respond to all the questions. With the world cafe method groups are made

and their perceptions on the fleet becoming smaller. The survey was opened to

even smaller (between 2-5 people in this case) to avoid that discussions are

skipper-owners, fisherwomen and crew members of the North Sea fleet on

dominated by a small nr of people.

20 December 2022 and ended the end of January 2023. The survey was
modelled on a survey distributed to the fleet in 2008 (Salz et al. 2008). At that

During the meetings the project was explained and the data that Wageningen

time, too, the cutter fishery was struggling and there was a restructuring

Economic Research had available was shared and discussed. During and after

(23 cutters were decommissioned) (Quirijns et al. 2019). This allowed the

the presentation, there was ample time for questions and discussion. This time

current responses to be compared with responses from the previously

was always used and gave a clear insight in the mix of feelings felt by many:

conducted survey to see possible developments over time. The survey was

concern, anger, distrust and disappointment were most prevalent. Concern

tested prior to opening it up, based on the feedback some changes were made.

about the situation they were in, the lack of perspective and disappointment

The duration to fill it out was between 10-15 minutes. Once it was available a

about the role of the government in the crisis. The meetings were often the

lot of care was taken to reach the target audience, by making use of diverse

first physical meeting in years, in which a lot had happened. Due to covid

platforms of (social) media (Kraan et al. 2023). Fishers also were given the

many meetings had been cancelled or postponed. Also the meetings were held

opportunity to fill it in on paper, but only 3 people made use of this option the

in a time that the Dutch fleet was suffering from the high oil price, due to the

rest did it online. In total 241 people participated: 61 spouses, 108 skipper-

war in Ukraine and was awaiting a long promised announcement of the

owners and 72 crew members. The majority of respondents (193) were active

58 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

in or involved in cutter fishing (80%). Most of them in beam trawling for

carry out flyshoot fishing (slightly less than 5%). Of 22 respondents (11%), we

flatfish and or shrimp (78%). Of the 241 respondents, four fishermen were

do not know which fishery is most important.

engaged in pelagic fishing, 29 respondents associated with small-scale fishing
and 193 with cutter fishing. Three crew members reported that their

For more detailed information on the respondent population see Kraan et al.

companies conducted both pelagic and cutter fisheries. The average age of

2023.

respondents was 44 years, on average skipper-owners were older (50 years)
than crew members (38 years) and spouses were in between (46 years). This
age difference between owners and crew members also shows in how long
people work in fishing: among crew members, the majority (60%) have
worked in fishing for less than 20 years, while among owners 76% have
worked for more than 20 years. Respondents come from 31 different fishing
communities, most of which are part of the 44 identified fishing communities in
the Netherlands (see Kraan et al. 2023). The distribution of respondents across
fishing regions is good, only from the IJmuiden region there is no participation
of crew and spouses. The number of participants also varies by region, with
few respondents coming from Scheveningen-Katwijk (10) and IJmuiden (3).
Three respondents are from a place outside the fishing regions.

Figure A2.1

Origin of respondents by fishing municipality. From the

municipality of Urk (difficult to see on these maps), for all categories of
As for this study the cutter fleet is most important we will describe this group

respondents, more than 20 people participated in the survey

of respondents that took part in the survey a bit further (193 people). Two
thirds of these conducted one type of fishery (e.g. shrimp fishing or flyshoot
fishing), a third conducted multiple fisheries in their business. Of the
participants from the cutter fleet, 134 were owners or spouses of an owner and
we also asked them how many vessels they had. Twenty-nine per cent had two
or more vessels (four respondents had three vessels, two respondents had four
vessels and two respondents had more than four vessels). Of the group of
fishermen conducting multiple demersal fisheries in their business, 30 per cent
did so with one vessel. Classifying fisheries is thus not straightforward; mixed

Phone survey
In order to check our scenarios we interviewed 5 fishers and 1 fisher
representative by phone. These were short 15-20 minutes phone calls. To make
sure this round of interviews would include a range of perspectives and contexts,
we spoke to fishers from the different regions and performing different fisheries.

fisheries are common in several variations (Schadeberg et al. 2021). After all,
fishermen are traditionally used to target different target species in different
seasons with different nets and techniques.

Region

Type of fisher

No. of vessels

Wadden coast

Shrimp fisher

1

Kop van Noord-Holland

Diversified (small vessel) flatfish and

1

In order to still provide an overview of the information, we asked owners which

nephrops fisher

fishery is most important to them. Here, we left it to the respondent to weigh

Urk

up how they define ‘most important’. Most cutter fishery respondents mainly

IJmuiden

carry out shrimp fishing (42%), followed by beam trawling for flatfish (37%).
Ten fishers mainly fish with boards (quadrig or twinrig) (5%) and nine fishers

Beam trawl/twinrig

2

Katwijk-Scheveningen

Beam trawl

1

Zuidwest-Nederland

Beam trawl/Twinrig

1

All

Fisher representative

Na

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

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We asked all fishers:

The option to make use of the quotas from the decommissioned vessels was

1.

Will you fish less on flatfish after the decommissioning scheme has taken

generally met with some skepticism. One could now hardly fish up the quotas,

effect?

also it was felt very insecure what would actually happen with the quotas as

Do you think that other fishers will fish less on flatfish after the

the government had announced to change the system in 2025. Most fishers

decommissioning scheme has taken effect?

reckoned that fishers would rather change their activity. It was expected by

2.

most of them (5 of 6) that fishers would be interested to use TR rather than
The fisher representative was only asked the 2

nd

question. From here we will

only speak of fishers, including the representative.

BK. Specifically two mentioned fishing on other species as well, such as squid.
Another expectation was that more smaller vessels (Eurocutters or smaller)
would enter the fleet working in a diversified way.

We wanted to check whether they expected a decline of fishing activity (by the
remaining fleet) on flatfish due to the decommissioning scheme in one way or

Another option for an increase that was probed was that vessels now under

another. We did not expect that, therefore we only work with the scenarios no

foreign flag would reflag to the Dutch state. Some had no idea (2), some (3)

reaction and increased effort. But perhaps we missed something that the fleet

said that this was a possibility due to the opportunity that now arose with low

did see.

quota value in combination with the difficulties fishers under UK flag

None of the fishers expected a decline in fishing activity (by the remaining

experienced, but one of the emphasised that with the decommissioning

fleet) due to the decommissioning scheme.

scheme the available space had declined as well (in terms of KW and GT). One
did not expect it as the foreign flag was too beneficial (referring to the Belgian

This understanding was arrived at after some probing as many fishers

and German flag).

expected a decline of fishing activity due to other causes such as a (remaining)
low catchability of flatfish species (i.e. plaice), less space for fishing due to
wind mills being built,31 or a high fuel price. Most of them emphasised that one
would expect to notice the effect if such a large part (mentioning between 5080 vessels) of the fleet would be decommissioned, two did say that ‘however in
former rounds of decommissioning we also did not notice it’.
Summarising the response on the presented option that fishing activity would
increase, it was said that perhaps some would start continuous fishing, where
those suggesting it said they would not either because of religious
considerations or because their vessel was too small to work with rotating
crews, making their fishery weather dependent which does not allow for
alternating crew.

31

In the week of the phone calls the government announced the North Sea would be the main
supplier of green energy for the Netherlands and many parts in the EU
(https://twitter.com/MinisterKenE/status/1650446529461723137), following a new deal with

60 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

the UK on shared infrastructure between the UK and the EU for wind energy
(https://nos.nl/artikel/2472634-nederlands-windpark-wordt-gekoppeld-aan-stroomkabelmet-vk).

Appendix 3

Quantitative Methods

Logbook data

Economic data

The logbook data records landings and effort at the ICES rectangle level.

The economic data of the Dutch cutter fleet is for each vessel estimated based

However, to be able to identify the amount of fishing allocated to the Wadden

on panel data and individual activity (see van Oostenbrugge et al. 2022b for

Sea, a finer scale of analysis is needed. We use the Vessel Monitoring System

details about the processing and estimation of the data) for details about the

(VMS) data coupled to the logbook data as described in Hintzen et al. (2013).

processing and estimation of the data). Prices are kept at historical values and

The landings of a trip are assigned to the different pings proportionally to the

no price flexibility (i.e the price would change with the amount of landings) is

duration of a ping (time between two VMS points). The pings are then

assumed.

overlapped with the polygon of the Dutch Wadden Sea to identify fishing pings
inside/outside the Dutch part of the Wadden Sea.

In addition to the landing weight by registered and all active Dutch cutters, the
landed value from 2018-2021 was used from Logbook data

One problem arises when using the methods described in Hintzen et al. (2013)

(VIRIS/Bedrijveninformatienet, n.d.) to determine the economic impact for the

in order to estimate when a vessel is fishing or not. Vessels are assumed to be

fish clusters. Another parameter is the number of registered vessels per home

fishing while maintaining a speed between two threshold values. However, it

port to determine the economic impact of less employment and turnover for

could be that a vessel is estimated to be fishing when in fact it is not. This could

technical and service supply industry in fisheries regions such as shipbuilders,

cause monthly shrimp effort in the Wadden Sea for a fisher to be above zero

ship carpenters, painters, net makers, port services, installers etcetera mainly

during a given month, when in reality the fisher has not fished for shrimp in the

perform services on board or around vessels.

Wadden Sea that month. If these errors are small and unbiased, this would not
be major problem for reporting, as these errors could be both positive as well

NOVA fish auction data (Nationaal Overlegorgaan voor de Visafslagen) has been

as negative. However, for our logistic regression model (see below), it could

received for landing volume and fish species (Figures 4.3 and 4.4 in Chapter 4).

yield some problems, as the outcome variable changes from a zero (fisher is

Data on landing volumes and number of active cutters per port were obtained

not fishing for shrimp in the Wadden Sea) to a one (fisher is fishing for shrimp

from Agrimation WUR (Wageningen Economic Research 2022b).

in the Wadden Sea). In order to solve this problem, a minimum monthly effort
threshold has been set. In order for a vessel-month observation to count as
actually fishing, the number of fish days should be at least one whole fish day
in a given month. This approach should not influence our model results, unless
errors arising from estimating the fish days are differently distributed across
the period before and after the decommissioning scheme, which we assume not
to be the case.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

| 61

Reaction remaining vessels – increased effort
scenario and impact on other variables
To estimate realistic increase of effort for the remaining vessels, we assume
that they could increase their effort up to the maximum32 number of seadays
observed in their segment during the 2018-2021 period or their own maximum
effort if it is higher than the computed maximum effort. In addition, given the
effort and catch profile of the registered vessels we assumed that the room
created by the scrapping of the registered vessels could only be filled by
increasing the effort of flatfish directed fisheries, i.e. beam trawls or otter
trawls. SO only the effort of those two gears were increased, activities using
other gears were maintained at the 2018-2021 level. And lastly we assume that
if a vessel also operated in the shrimp fishery which is regulated with a cap on
seadays per week. The effort in shrimp weeks could not be increased as fishers
are unlikely to change gears in the middle of a week to target other fish.
The expected change in landings is taken per gear assuming constant landings
per unit of effort. So the landings per gear increase proportionally to the effort
of that gear. The price of fish are also kept constant and the revenue and value
of landings evolve proportionally to the landings of the different species. The
costs are split in two categories, the variable costs and the fixed costs. The
variable costs (variable and crew costs) also change proportionally to the effort
and revenue while the fixed costs are kept at the historical level. The profit
(revenue minus variable and fixed costs) is therefore adjusted accordingly.

32

Max seadays per segment is calculated annually based as the average seadays of the 10 most
active vessels of a segment, (European Commission, Joint Research Centre, and European
Commission, Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, 2022).

62 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Appendix 4 Characteristics per fisheries region
Characteristics of the fish processing chain and
technical and services supply industry of North Sea
fish by fisheries region
From Hoekstra et al. (2023) each fisheries region is described by the main
landed North Sea fish species (in terms of value and weight). Furthermore, the
historical context of established fish clusters is given for certain fisheries
region.
Historical reasons established fish processing clusters close to
harbours
Fish clusters within fisheries regions have often developed around ports of
landing and auctions of fresh North Sea fish. The ports and auctions are thus a
physical location where supply (landings from the fishery) and demand (from
buyers such as fish processors and fish retailers) come together. For pelagic
fish, which is brought on board as frozen fish by freezer trawlers, the main
offices and frozen warehouses of these fishing companies are historically
located in the ports of IJmuiden and Scheveningen. Vlissingen and Amsterdam
are exceptions to this because storage capacity in warehouses was found here
for the frozen pelagic fish such as herring and mackerel. Ports and auctions are
also hubs in the entire infrastructure of the fish processing chain and technical
and services supply industry. This includes the entire logistics and transport
but also suppliers such as the unloading of fish by specialised fish unloading
service companies, (gas) oil bunkering for ships, port facilities such as shore
power and ice supply to store the caught fish cooled on board, supply of ship
equipment and maintenance by maritime engineering companies (Hoekstra
et al. 2023).

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

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Fisheries region

Main North Sea fish species in landed

Characteristics of the fish cluster

volume (preservation/condition)
1.Kop van Noord-Holland

Brown shrimp (fresh, cooked),

Wieringen and Den Oever are highly specialised in the supply and processing chain of brown shrimp and

Norway lobster (fresh, preserved),

nephrops (Norway lobster). The shrimp cutters moored in the home port are partly responsible for attracting

Flatfish (fresh).

day tourists, according to interviewees.
Den Helder and Texel are more geared to supplying flatfish. There are hardly any fish-processing companies
located in this fishing region. Via transport, processing is outsourced mostly to other fish clusters especially in
IJmuiden and Urk. During this study, it became clear that the Den Helder fish auction had to close (by 2023)
due to declining supplies and thus economic revenues, partly caused by the Brexit, the pulse ban, high fuel
prices and consequently that a relatively large number of (flatfish) cutters from this fishing region have applied
for decommissioning scheme or sale of the vessel. The Den Helder auction will be leased and put to use by the
maritime offshore wind industry and initiatives such as hydrogen generation in the North Sea.
Texel is known for its innovative nature in flatfish fishing. An innovative fishing technique such as the pulse
trawl has been more or less early tested and further developed here by fishing entrepreneurs and involved
technical and services supply industry.

2.IJmuiden

Pelagic fish species such as herring (processed

In IJmuiden, both frozen pelagic fish and fresh North Sea fish are landed.

and frozen), miscellaneous species such as skate, Unlike Urk, there is less fish processing here such as filleting but a lot of fresh packaging of the North Sea fish
lobster and squid (fresh), flatfish such as sole

as a whole fish, destined for export or domestic catering. IJmuiden has good port and logistics facilities, making

and turbot (fresh).

it an important national fish cluster for both the pelagic and demersal fish supply chain. There is also much
refrigerated and frozen capacity located here, particularly for pelagic fish. The supply of fresh North Sea fish
from the English Channel goes mainly through the Scheveningen and IJmuiden auctions. Think of freshly
landed fish species such as squid, red gurnard, mullet and mackerel. This fish caught using the flyshoot fishing
technique is known for its high quality because, relative to beam trawling, due to the fact that the fish spend
much less time in the fishing net before coming on board.

64 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Fisheries region

Main North Sea fish species in landed

Characteristics of the fish cluster

volume (preservation/condition)
3.Zuidwest-Nederland

Flatfish such as sole and turbot (fresh),

This Fisheries Region is characterised by the large geographical distribution of fish clusters, traditionally across

flatfish and round fish such as mullet, red gurnard

several of Zeeland’s islands. Vlissingen has become an important port for English-flagged cutters with Dutch

and squid (fresh), brown shrimp (fresh, cooked).

owners since the Brexit at the expense of Boulogne, for the supply of fresh North Sea fish from the Channel.
Stellendam is an important logistic centre with its auction and shipyards and associated companies specialising
in the design and construction of cutters, maintenance and repair. Maritime technical knowledge is also highly
developed due to the shellfish fishery present with Yerseke as an important processing hub. In addition,
Yerseke has increasingly become an important logistics hub where many transport movements to and from
with fish and shellfish products by truck are carried out daily.
There is a lot of interaction with Scheveningen due to the fact that the auctions fall under the same company
(United Fish Auctions, UFA) and due to the presence of the fishing fleet that originally has Scheveningen as its
home port. To a lesser extent there is interaction in transport of fish products to and from Urk.

4.Urk

Flatfish species such as plaice and sole (fresh),

Largest fisheries region in the Netherlands in number of fishing vessels and fish processing companies of North

various other North Sea fish species such as

Sea fish. Especially most of the landed plaice is sold through the Urk auction to local fish processing companies.

mullet, red gurnard and squid (fresh).

As Urk has no own landing port most of the North Sea fish sold at the local fish auction is landed in Harlingen
or at other ports in the Netherlands, France and Denmark.
This fish cluster is characterised by large growth of business succession due to the strong fisheries identity and
many young people that this fisheries region has.
The strongly growing international fish processing and maritime cluster of inland shipping and technical
companies owe their origins to the traditionally present North Sea fisheries. This fisheries region has a high
concentration of fishing-related businesses within its municipal boundaries. The advantage is that companies
that stop are often bought up by other local companies, so that the supply chain infrastructure is preserved and
does not disappear from the fisheries region.
Unique to Urk is that it is inland and has no direct connection to the North Sea or Wadden Sea through the
afsluitdijk. In this regard, Urk relies heavily on road transport and logistics.
There is much interaction with almost all fisheries regions especially for the purchase of fish for (further)
processing. Due to the growing fish processing companies, Urk’s importance as a logistics hub is increasing for
the Netherlands and even Europe-wide for fish processing. There are many companies that import and export
fish and fish products. There has been large-scale deployment of frozen and refrigerated capacity by the
processing industry which has started to import more and more frozen fish products.

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Fisheries region

Main North Sea fish species in landed

Characteristics of the fish cluster

volume (preservation/condition)
5.Katwijk/Scheveningen

Pelagic fish species such as herring (processed

Katwijk does not have its own port or auction. Katwijk has a strong pelagic fish cluster because one of the large

and frozen), flatfish such as sole (fresh), round

pelagic shipping companies has its headquarters here. For that reason, pelagic processors such as herring

fish such as mullet, red gurnard and squid (fresh) processors and pelagic suppliers such as net makers are also concentrated here.
Scheveningen has a renowned harbour around which much processing and trade in fresh North Sea fish has
developed with a particular focus on out-of-home consumption in the hospitality industry, partly due to the
presence of many expats and tourists. The densely populated periphery of The Hague makes expansion of the
fish processing chain and technical and services supplying companies challenging. Pelagic processing and
supply chain companies therefore turn their eyes more toward IJmuiden or abroad for expansion opportunities.
Because the Scheveningen fish auction is close to the Randstad, it offers many opportunities for local sales of
fresh North Sea fish. Compared to other fish auctions, Scheveningen therefore has many more smaller
companies that buy fish through the auction, mainly destined for local catering establishments.
The supply of fresh North Sea fish from the English Channel goes mainly through the Scheveningen and
IJmuiden auctions. Think of freshly landed North Sea fish species such as squid, red gurnard, mullet and
mackerel. These fish species caught using the flyshoot fishing technique are known for their high quality
because, relative to beam trawling, as the fish spend much less time in the fishing net before coming on board.
The supply of fresh demersal fish from the English Channel allows the Scheveningen auction and local fish chain
to respond to the demand from exports and the local catering industry including many beach bars.
The port and auction determine the streetscape and attract tourists to Scheveningen. There are many
interactions with Stellendam and Katwijk because the latter does not have its own harbour and auction.
Companies and municipality indicated that pelagic fishing in particular also plays an important social role for
the port in Scheveningen and local residents or nearby companies. According to interviewees, during the
corona period you could notice that fewer pelagic trawlers were unloading in Scheveningen harbour. It led to
unemployment among fish unloading personnel who could hardly find other work quickly. According to the
companies, it led to an increase in crime around the port.
6. Waddenkust

Brown shrimp (fresh, cooked), to a much lesser

Waddenkust is particularly characterised by shrimp fishery at the Wadden Sea and along the northern coast of

extent, some North Sea fish (fresh)

the North Sea. Similar as in the Kop van Noord-Holland, there are hardly any fish-processing companies in the
Waddenkust except for the specialised companies and suppliers in the shrimp chain.
Interactions exist between the ports with brown shrimp landings. There is a direct interaction with Urk from the
Harlingen shrimp auction because it is owned by the Urk auction. Harlingen is also the home port of many
cutters registered at Urk as home port.

66 | Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

Fisheries region

Main North Sea fish species in landed

Characteristics of the fish cluster

volume (preservation/condition)
7. Other

To a lesser extent is here supply of North Sea

This category is a collection of companies in the fish processing chain and technical and services supply

fish species because these places do not have

industry that fall outside the six fisheries regions.

their own fish or shrimp auctions.
Important fish clusters within this category include Bunschoten-Spakenburg where there are many fish
smokehouses (eel, salmon) and itinerant fish trade (fish trucks and stores) that source North Sea fish from
other fisheries regions such as Urk, Scheveningen, IJmuiden and Zuidwest-Nederland.
In addition, several importers are located close to the logistics mainports of the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol
Airport. These are mainly non-North Sea fish imported and traded, especially within Europe as a destination
market.
There are also several transporters and maritime suppliers inland that are close to hubs of European highways
for efficient connection to the hinterland such as Germany and Belgium as major markets for fish products and
their ports for maritime services.

Wageningen Economic Research Report 2023-068

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Wageningen Economic Research
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Wageningen Economic Research
REPORT
2023-068
ISBN 978-94-6447-718-4

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