Actie voor de pulsvissers

Actie voor de pulsvissers
26/04/2019 Douwe Pausma

Bericht Urk: Deze video is door het Europees parlement gestuurd.
Het lied voor de vissers van Geke wordt nu in het Engels opgenomen.
Optreden in Straatsburg wordt momenteel onderzocht.

Urk, 21 maart 2-19

Song for the Fishermen

I sing a song for the fishermen
I sing a song for the fishermen
I sing a song for the fishermen

Cause Europe votes for a ban on pulse fishing Jealousy jealousy jealousy Cause Europe votes for a ban on pulse fishing Jealousy jealousy jealousy The Urk people are taking the lead

The people from Urk faced troubles before Zuiderzee turned into IJsselmeer But they overcame Fishermen, join forces once again.

Holland started lobbying too late
Opened the dialogue too late
Holland started lobbying too late
Pulse fishing now needs to be allowed!

Wetenschappelijk onderzoek

In May 2018, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) ruled that compared to traditional beam trawling, pulse fishing is better for the ecosystem and the environment.

Pulse fishing does not penetrate as deeply into seabed sediments, resulting in a lesser effect on the organisms living there. Pulse trawling also produces a smaller footprint, which equates to a reduced affected area. With pulse trawling the same amount of sole can be caught in less time or fishing effort.

Since pulse fishery was introduced in 2009, fishing mortality has reduced and stock biomass has increased for flatfish.

Research proves that pulse fishing potentially has a valuable role to play in the transition to sustainable fishing in the North Sea.

Vertaling interview Geke

Geke:

Cause it is unbelievable that at this point, when everyone is active to save the climate, a method that was discovered by fishermen to fish in an environmentally friendly and climate friendly manner is being banned by the European Union.

I find it unimaginable.

Interviewer:

Yes, and the Lower House agrees with you Are you in the right place?

Geke:

No, I want to go to the European Parliament I now try to continue this campaign during the final vote in the EU in April.

Interviewer:

What is the impact of this on the Urk community?

Geke:

Enormous. Many companies will go bankrupted. There will probably a transitional arrangement but so much has been invested. And besides, they will have to revert to an outdated method which damages the seabed and consumes tremendous amounts of fuel. How can we support such a decision in a time when everything is geared towards saving our climate? The fishermen deserve applause and not a ban.

Press Release

21-03-2019

Urk, The Netherlands

The ban on pulse fishing: bankrupt companies and an increase of climate pollution The European Parliament In Strasbourg will have its final vote this April on the exclusion of pulse fishing. This ban would be very inefficient according to The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and Geke van der Sloot initiator and creator of the protest song: ’Song for the Fishermen’.

The ICES shows that pulse fishing potentially has a valuable role to play in the transition to sustainable fishing in the North Sea. Since pulse fishery was introduced in 2009, fishing mortality has reduced and stock biomass has increased for flatfish.

Pulse fishing does not penetrate as deeply into seabed sediments as traditional beam trawling, resulting in a lesser effect on the organisms living there. Pulse trawling also produces a smaller footprint, which equates to a reduced affected area. With pulse trawling the same amount of sole can be caught in less time or fishing effort.

A ban on pulse fishing and a return to traditional beam trawling will thus increase the problem of climate pollution. Next to this, a ban on pulse fishing will also cause many problems for the Dutch fishermen. Geke van der Sloot states that many companies of the Dutch fishing village Urk will go bankrupt. ‘’They all have invested in pulse fishing methods, because of its environmental friendly purposes. Now they have to revert to an outdated method which damages the seabed and consumes tremendous amounts of fuel. The fishermen deserve applause and not a ban.’’

In order to carry out this view, van der Sloot came up with the protest song ’Song for the Fishermen’. She sang this song together with her pupils in the Dutch Lower House. With the final votes in sight, van der Sloot also wants to turn to the European Parliament to give the Parliament insights in the problems that the ban on pulse fishing will bring into being.

For more information get in touch with Geke van der Sloot.