21 November 2007

BILTHOVEN – The tens of thousands of Poles who have come to the Netherlands to work are fishing the Dutch waters empty in their free time. Fishing clubs throughout the country are alerting the Sport Fishing Association of the Netherlands of the situation.

"The Poles have different ethics and a different food culture and do not follow the rules," Juul Steyn, spokesperson for Sportvisserij Nederland, said on Wednesday. The situation is so worrying that the organisation has had a Polish translation made of the fishing regulations. Inspectors and agents at the head office in Bilthoven are being trained to pick up on violations.

Most Dutch sport fishers fish as a hobby and throw their catch back into the water. The Poles are fishing primarily for economic gain, Steyn says.

The problems started first at the eastern border. Ed Piek of the Angling Sport Federation says that the problems have now spread to the rest of the Netherlands because checks for illegal fishing were stepped up at the eastern border.

"Easy to obtain day and week permits have now been replaced with year permits and the fishing regulations have been translated into Polish and Russian."

Piek says it is difficult to determine whether the Poles are only fishing for their own consumption, or whether they are selling the fish on. Poles using a drag net in De Berkel near Eibergen did sell the fish on for a profit.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2007]

Subject: Dutch news