Fuel shock grounds Dutch fishing fleet

a Dutch beam trawler

Europe’s fishing industry is beginning to feel the economic shock of the Iran war, with soaring diesel prices forcing large parts of the Dutch fleet to stay in port.

Industry groups say at least half of the Netherlands’ fishing vessels remained idle this week as operating costs surged. For many crews, the numbers simply no longer add up.

Beam trawlers hit first — and hardest

The Netherlands is particularly exposed because of its large fleet of beam trawlers, fuel-hungry vessels that target valuable North Sea flatfish such as common sole, turbot and brill.

These boats account for a sizeable share of the country’s fleet and roughly 7% of the European Union’s total fishing capacity. According to industry group VisNed, as many as 80–90% of beam trawlers did not sail this week.

The reason is simple: fuel costs have exploded.

Fuel bills now swallow entire catch value

Before the conflict erupted on February 28, weekly diesel bills for a typical vessel ran around €12,000 to €13,000.

Now those costs are approaching €30,000 — roughly the same as the value of the fish a boat might bring back to port at this time of year.

Durk van Tuinen of the Dutch Fishers Union said the equation leaves nothing to pay crews. “When the fuel bill equals the revenue, the business stops working,” he said.

Crisis spreads beyond the Netherlands

The pressure is not confined to Dutch waters. The industry body Europêche says fleets across Europe are struggling with the same problem.

Belgian and British vessels using similar gear are facing comparable fuel costs. Boats targeting species such as Atlantic cod and haddock are also nearing loss-making territory.

With diesel prices up about 70%, some captains are choosing to remain tied to the dock rather than risk sailing at a loss.

From harbour to dinner table

Fishing leaders are pressing Brussels for emergency support, urging the European Commission to relax state-aid rules as it did during the 2022 energy crisis.

Without relief, the consequences may soon reach consumers. Fish supplies are tightening and prices are already climbing.

At Dutch auctions, sole has jumped from around €12 to €18 a kilo in days — a spike that could ripple through restaurants across Europe. As van Tuinen put it bluntly: “Fish will disappear from the menu.”

Half of Dutch fleet idle as European fishing hit by high diesel prices