The end for shrimp fishermen: Between scrapping premium and existential fears

The run on the scrapping premium has begun. At least 13 crab fishermen have already applied to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) submitted applications for decommissioning premiums. In spring 2024, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture launched a programme to financially sweeten the exit from the industry for shrimp fishermen. But while some are leaving, others are fighting for their future. In Fedderwardersiel, fishermen are protesting against further restrictions on their fishing grounds due to wind farms and nature conservation requirements. The traditional crab fishery on the German North Sea coast is under massive pressure.

Up to 180,000 euros for scrapping

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is providing a total of 17 million euros for the voluntary decommissioning of shrimp boats. Fishermen can receive between 120,000 and 180,000 euros per vessel, depending on its size. The condition: The cutter must be scrapped and the licence permanently withdrawn.

The programme is aimed at businesses that are under economic pressure, according to the ministry. The background to this is the increasing restrictions on fishing areas due to offshore wind farms, Natura 2000 conservation areas and other utilisation conflicts in the North Sea. At the same time, the industry is struggling with rising operating costs and volatile catch volumes.

According to current information, at least 13 fishermen have submitted applications. The exact number of approved premiums is not yet known, as the BLE is still reviewing the applications. Industry experts expect further applications to follow before the budget is exhausted.

Protest in Fedderwardersiel

While some colleagues are now throwing in the towel, resistance is forming in Fedderwardersiel. The local crab fishermen are resisting further restrictions on their fishing grounds. Their main criticism: the continuous loss of fishing grounds due to various protection measures and infrastructure projects.

"The ground is being pulled out from under our feet," the fishermen are quoted as saying in the local press. The list of restrictions is long: wind farm areas where fishing is not permitted, extended Natura 2000 conservation areas with fishing bans, cable routes and other marine protection measures. The fishermen criticise the fact that their economic interests are hardly taken into account when designating new protection and usage zones.

Particularly bitter: many of the traditional fishing grounds that have been fished for generations are gradually disappearing. The crab fishermen see themselves in a conflict between climate protection, nature conservation and their own livelihoods - a conflict in which they feel like losers.

Lack of prospects

The German shrimp fishery has been in a state of upheaval for years. The number of active cutters has already decreased significantly. Exact current figures on fleet size vary, but the trend is clear: the industry is shrinking.

The combination of economic pressure and regulatory restrictions is causing problems for many businesses. Younger fishermen are reluctant to enter a business with an uncertain future. The investment costs for modern cutters are high and planning security is low.

The scrappage scheme is now accelerating a process that was already underway. For older fishermen without a successor, it can be an economically sensible exit strategy. For the industry as a whole, however, every decommissioned cutter means a loss of expertise, tradition and economic activity on the coast.

Conflict-laden future

The situation of the shrimp fishermen is an example of the conflict surrounding the utilisation of the North Sea. On the one hand, there is the energy transition with the massive expansion of offshore wind farms. On the other side is nature conservation, which is calling for larger and stricter protected areas. In between: A small industry with a long tradition but little political clout.

The German government points out that the decommissioning premium is voluntary and offers fishermen an appropriate exit option. Critics, however, see this as the de facto end of an industry - a capitulation to the diverse utilisation claims in the North Sea.

Whether the remaining shrimp fishermen have a long-term perspective depends on whether politicians and administrators keep sufficient fishing areas free in future planning. The protests in Fedderwardersiel show this: The fishermen will not give up without a fight.