The new director of Rederscentrale, Emiel Brouckaert, Belgium’s only Producers’ Organization (PO), said in Jan. 2008 there were 102 fishing vessels under the Belgian flag.
During the year, the number fell to an official figure of 97 as the operators of five big beamers filed for bankruptcy and the vessels were sold off. But the fall in oil prices has given the fleet a much-needed respite.
“Companies have been in difficulties,” he admitted. “Now that fuel has dropped in price we have a breathing space and the possibility to regroup and get back to running an economically viable fleet.”
“The
