The signing parties are the hand cockle fishers united in the association ‘Op Handkracht Verder’, Coalition Wadden Natuurlijk, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), and the province of Fryslân.
Deputy Abel Kooistra: “With the signing of this new set of agreements, we continue the successful cooperation. We ensure a healthy balance between a vital ecosystem and future-proof fisheries. The multi-year agreements for hand cockle fishery are often cited as an example of how agreements can be made between governments, fisheries organizations, and nature organizations. We can be proud of that.”
The new multi-year agreements regulate, among other things:
- A maximum of 2.5% of the present cockles (meat weight) may be harvested annually in densities above 50 per m²;
- The Wadden Sea remains divided into closed, lottery, and open fishing areas to continue the distribution of fisheries;
- Additional monitoring/research on summer mortality will take place in the autumn;
- The threshold of what constitutes a nutrient-rich or nutrient-poor year has been tightened.
Clear framework for the future
The multi-year agreements provide clarity for the fisheries sector and safeguard the protection of the natural values in the Wadden Sea. Since 2005, the province of Fryslân has been authorized to make decisions regarding this nature legislation. The new agreements form the framework for permit issuance under the Environmental Act (nature section).
