The Inventory Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in the Netherlands contains ICH of which the communities, groups or individuals involved have written a safeguarding plan. Those plans are reviewed by an independent review committee. Every three years an evaluation of the safeguarding takes place.

Description

“River fishing" is practised on a small scale in the Rhine and Maas system and is formally part of "inland fishing". When fishing, one uses a vessel and dinghy equipped with a "bun" or "beun". This is a compartment in the vessel that is directly connected to the river water via many small holes, allowing the fish to be kept alive. The fishermen stay on the ship day and night during the working week and fishing is only done in areas where the fishermen have 'fishing rights' by agreement or where they have old commercial fishing rights. By fishing the waters to full cargo capacity and then moving on, the natural balance of the fish stock is maintained and the fishing waters sustainably utilised. In addition to fishing for consumption fish and fry, the fishermen also carry out research and stock recovery projects.

In the period from November to April, 'standing rigging' is used to fish for table fish, particularly pikeperch, perch, pike, bream and roach. The net is placed perpendicular to the seabed so that the (scale) fish swim against it and get stuck in the mesh of the net with their gills. The fish is sold via the IJmuiden fish auction, IJsselmeer auction Urk and to local buyers.

Because the low temperature means that the fish caught is significantly less damaged, fishing for fry also takes place during this period, with the catches being released elsewhere for fish stock recovery projects. In addition, the fishermen also carry out 'yielding' orders during this period. This means catching all the fish in a water, which is required if a water authority such as the Department of Public Works is renovating or constructing water or artworks.

Fyke fishing takes place from April to November. The assignment or the intended result determines the use of the various species, materials, mesh sizes and sizes of the fykes. The fish and salmon fykes are used for the registration and measurement of fish species on behalf of Imares Wageningen UR. In addition, the 'Eel over the Dike' project catches eels that have reached sexual maturity in front of hydropower plants and pumping stations and releases them downstream behind these barriers so that they can migrate to the Sargasso Sea to spawn.

Research and recovery activities take place throughout the year.

Community

River fishing in the Netherlands is still carried out on a full-time basis by two family businesses. Mostly on the basis of historical fishing rights (old commercial fishing rights), Frans Komen & Zn. Visserijen from Terwolde fishes in the east and middle of the river area and Fa. W. Klop en Zn. from Hardinxveld-Giessendam in the southwest river (delta) area. There are also five fishermen who fish independently on a part-time basis in the river area. All these river fishermen practise fishing in a similar manner within their fishing rights (fishing water area). The number of river fishermen is small and the possibilities for fishing are limited. River fishing was inscribed by the full-time river fishermen Frans Komen Sr. and Frans Komen Jr. from Terwolde.

History

River fishing has traditionally been of great importance for food supply and employment. Until about 1950, every river municipality, city and village, had a number of fishermen who provided the local population with river fish. Fishing was omnipresent in the river area.

In the 1950s, as a result of water pollution, especially the taste of phenol, river fish was no longer fit for consumption. Only a handful of fishermen remained at that time. From the mid-1970s onwards, the quality of the water and thus of the fish improved, and river fishing revived somewhat. As a result of various policies and legal provisions such as the 1972 Splitting Policy, the 2008 Vessel Register and the 2011 Temporary Closing Regulation, river fishing declined again. Finally, the 2011 'Eel Ban', due to the dioxin content of eels (and wolverine crab) in the rivers, virtually put an end to river fishing. The still active river fishermen are now focusing on selective and sustainable fishing for pike and creels, which has expanded considerably over the years. Hydraulics and sonar have been added, cotton has been replaced by machine-made nylon nets, which have since been replaced by strong monofilament nets that are cleaned and arranged using a hydraulic transfer machine.

Safeguarding

  • The positive environmental effects and sustainable food supply of river fishing are conveyed in text and image through documentaries, lectures, interviews for newspapers and magazines.
  • Interested 'on-board steppers' from the fishing community, food chain and science are taken on board to gain knowledge and experience river fishing.
  • Because there are many different parties involved in river fishing, including fellow fishermen, the auctions, buyers, traders, the catering industry and local buyers, institutes and consultancies such as Imares, Natuurbalans, ATKB, Apesca, Costa and Waardenburg, contact is maintained with all these parties.
  • With regard to regulations, the professional organisation 'netViswerk' is in contact with individual members of parliament and policy officials. The fisheries sector is also represented at the EU.
  • Extra attention will be paid to consumers, groups and organisations that consciously opt for local and sustainable food. For example, the many members of the (international) organisation 'Slow Food' who boarded the ship D'otter to fish and prepare meals with the caught fish.

Contact

Frans Komen & Zn. Visserijen
Terwolde