Belgium’s fishing industry is now one of the smallest in terms of vessel numbers in the European Union with only around eighty vessels, the majority of them beam trawlers, plus a small number of static gear boats and an established fleet of shrimpers.
The Belgian fleet is also very widespread, with fishing rights across grounds from the Bay of Biscay to the Irish Sea and far into the North Sea, making it also one of Europe’s most far-travelled fleets.
This means problems of logistics, as much of the Belgian fleet’s fish is landed in ports as far from home as La Rochelle, Milford Haven and Thyborøn, and trucked to Zeebrugge or Oostende auctions to be sold.
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