The European fishing industry was among the first sectors to feel the consequences of the sharp rise in diesel prices amid the war with Iran. In the Netherlands, the situation has become critical: this week at least 50% of the fishing fleet remains in ports and does not go to sea.

This was reported by Reuters, citing industry representatives. Experts note that the problem is systemic and could affect a significant part of the European fish market.

The Netherlands is feeling the consequences of the fuel price hike particularly acutely due to the specifics of its fleet. The country has a disproportionately large number of trawlers - about 7% of the total fleet of such vessels in the European Union. These vessels are the most energy-intensive, which makes their operation economically unprofitable under current conditions.

Trawlers operating in the North Sea specialize in catching valuable fish species, such as flounder, turbot and brill. At the same time, they consume significant amounts of fuel. According to the industry organization VisNed, 80% to 90% of such vessels remained in port this week due to the sharp increase in costs.

A spokesman for the Dutch Fishermen’s Association, Durk van Tuijnen, explained that fuel costs have effectively destroyed the profitability of the fishery. While before the conflict in the Middle East, weekly costs amounted to 12-13 thousand euros, now they are approaching 30 thousand. This is approximately the income from the sale of the catch during this period, leaving no money even for the crew’s wages. According to him, work simply loses meaning in such conditions.

Such difficulties are observed not only in the Netherlands. As Daniel Vos, managing director of the European organization Europêche, noted, other countries are also facing problems. In particular, Belgium and the United Kingdom are actively using similar types of trawlers, and cod fleets across Europe are already operating at the brink of loss or experiencing direct financial losses.

In response to the crisis, major fishing nations such as Spain, Italy and France have introduced limited support measures for the industry. However, even this does not compensate for the sharp increase in costs: fuel prices have jumped by about 70%, forcing some vessels to remain in port.

The consequences of the crisis are already beginning to be felt by consumers. Due to the reduction in catch volumes, the supply of fish on the market is decreasing, which leads to an increase in prices. For example, the cost of flounder at auctions this week increased from about 12 to 18 euros. Restaurants are forced to adapt - reduce portions or refuse to purchase fish at all. According to industry representatives, if the trend continues, fish dishes may simply disappear from the menus of many establishments.