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The Danish Fisheries Association has advised fishermen to stop fishing prawns as of midnight tonight
The Danish Fisheries Association has advised its members involved in catching nephrops (prawns) to cease fishing with immediately effect as of midnight tonight.
Fishing boats in Denmark have been asked to stop fishing the Norway lobsters as of 00.01 on the 27 March due to the effects COVID-19 is having on the shellfish markets which has seen sales collapse in the past week.
Unfortunately, the demand for first-class seafood has been greatly reduced. The freezing stocks are filled and this puts the fishery in a difficult situation where unfortunately it no longer makes sense to go fishing.
“Due to the corona crisis, the EU market for Norway lobsters has disappeared to nothing. It doesn’t make sense to have a direct fishing on the prawns when no one wants to buy them. It is not an easy decision and will have major consequences for the fishermen, but it is necessary if we are to secure our future fishing,” says Svend-Erik Andersen, chairman of the Danish Fisheries Association.
The Danish Fisheries Association therefore has strongly urged fishermen to stop directly fishing prawns now and initially a week ahead.
The closure of the fisheries has prompted the Danish Fisheries Association to set up a Norway Lobster Committee with Claus Hjørne Pedersen as Chairperson. Claus Hjørne Pedersen is the Chairperson of Strandby Fiskeriforening, which is one of the ports that clearly notices the development in the prawn market.
In addition, members from the local fisheries associations in the Danish fishing industry are represented on the Committee. The Committee will be tasked with gathering comprehensive information from fishermen and the processing industry / purchasers, and will propose possible regulation in the fishery for Norway lobsters.
“The fisheries must stand together to deal with the crisis, and therefore the committee must work with all good ideas to ensure that there is also a fishery and a market for virgin lobster after the corona crisis,” says Claus Hjørne Pedersen.
In this connection, the Danish Fisheries Association is in contact with the Ministry of the Environment and Food on the possibilities of regulating fishing for Norway lobster in the light of the corona crisis.
Source: Danish Fisheries Association
Danish Fisheries Association, Prawns. Danish Fishing Industry
