The Dutch government has to grant Euro85m in compensation to cockle dredgers after the government decided to ban this year cockle dredging in the Waddenzee, an inshore stretch of the North Sea north of the province of Friesland, according to an independent commission, writes Pieter Tesch.
The Dutch government established the commission to advise it on the level of compensation to buy out the cockle dredging licences from four bigger and three smaller companies following scientific advice to ban cockle dredging because of the ecological damage to the Waddenzee. However, it did grant at the same time licences to explore natural gas reserves under the Waddenzee.
It is one of the areas under EU protection under directives for areas of special natural and scientific interest. Green campaigners have been for years campaigning to ban all fishing activities in the Waddenzee, which is an important fishing ground for brown shrimp. Dutch fishermen feel that their government is more interested to save the seals of the Waddenzee than to protect the livelihood of fishing communities on the Dutch north coast.
Green interests have already warned the Dutch government that the Euro85m compensation should not be taken from the Euro800m special fund for the protection of the Waddenzee set aside by the Dutch parliament. They want the money solely be used for more protection measures.
