Minister Veerman of Agriculture must take measures against the rising numbers of severely wounded and dead seals that are being brought in to the SRRC in Pieterburen. Severe wounding is caused when fishermen (professional as well as recreational) leave nets and hooks behind in the sea. If seals swim into the nets, they can drown or get strangled, and if they swallow a hook, it is likely they will die due to internal bleeding.
Due to alarming reports from the SRRC in Pieterburen, Ineke van Gent, a lower house (second Chamber) representative for the Green party, has written to Minister Veerman, demanding he takes action. There should be more checks on fishermen, and fishing methods must be scrutinized for their potential danger to seals. The Green party also wants there to be an opportunity for fishermen to hand in old nets free of charge. Furthermore, there should be information available to fishermen, informing them about the consequences of discarding nets and other fishing tackle in the sea.
Photo: Willem Wilstra
Lower house representative van Gent (Groen Links, eng: Green Left) questions the minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality about endangered seals. These questions were submitted on August 22nd, 2006:
- Are you aware of RTL News’ alarming broadcast, about the rising numbers of wounded and dead seals and other sea mammals, due to discarded fishnets?
- Do you recognise that the numbers of wounded and dead seals in the Wadden and North Sea have risen dramatically, and that this is caused by fishnets being discarded of by professional fishermen and nets and hooks being left behind by recreational fishermen?
- Could you enlighten us about the exact cause of this increase? Could you tell us whether there has been an increase in the use of the ‘staand want’ fishing method and/or whether these nets have been moved?
- Are you worried about the increase? Do you agree with me that the number of wounded and/or dead seals should be kept to a minimum?
- What measures do you propose to take to reduce the number of victims?
- Can you say how many permits have been granted for fishing with ‘fixed’ fishing tackle in the coastal area’s and in the North Sea? Would you be willing to sharpen the procedures for granting permits to fishermen in the coastal area’s and in the North Sea? Furthermore, would you be willing to check the nets placed by fishermen for danger to seals, as you already check them for their danger to people? If not, why?
- Is it correct that fishermen who bring so-called ‘stray-nets’ ashore have to pay to dispose of them? Would you consider, instead of charging them, to pay a finders-fee to fishermen who remove stray nets from the water and dispose of them properly, or, could you organise the collection and disposal of stray nets along the coasts and in the North Sea in a different manner?
- Finally, would you be willing to inform fishermen, especially recreational fishermen, through an information campaign about the consequences facing seals and other sea mammals if nets and hooks are discarded of in the sea?
27-08-2006 Source: SRRC
