Pomorskie: Protest of recreational fishermen – obstructions on the road to Hel

The fishermen's demonstration began at around 9 a.m. As reported by the Emergency Staff of Recreational Fisheries Shipowners, the protest is expected to continue until 14 p.m.

"Our protest is peaceful and with all the rules in force. Some 70 people will participate in the protest," reported the Media Emergency Staff of Recreational Fishermen.

As PAP said, the police press officer in Puck st. post Monika Mularska, at the pedestrian crossing protested about 25-30 people.

"Because there is no other road towards Hel and no detour can be introduced, which has been reported by several minutes of protesters in consultation with the police to let cars on the peninsula" said the police officer.

This is the second protest of recreational fishermen in Pomerania. A week ago, they blocked the entrances to Leba and Utka.

"In view of the tragic situation of recreational fishermen, we decided to resume the protest. To this day, the signed agreement with then Minister of Maritime Economy Marek Grobarczyk was not implemented. In all Polish ports there are ships that will no longer return to the profession. Sea wind farms in the Baltic are taking away our only fisheries and the ban on cod will be extended. Shipowners have decided to block coastal towns from the mainland, let this drastic form draw the attention of the government" - said the Emergency Staff of Fishermen in a message sent to the media.

On 16 January 2020, the Ministry signed an agreement with the Emergency Staff of Recreational Shipowners, which, as the Ministry reported, ended the protest and assumed support for the industry in connection with the EU's ban on cod in the Baltic Sea.

In May, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and IWT reported that due to the pandemic and its high expenditure, there is no possibility of increasing aid to the struggling recreational shipowners who fished cod. During the meeting, representatives of the Ministry confirmed that 20 million PLN will be allocated to aid to shipowners, which means about 200 thousand PLN of support for each shipowner.

Protesting recreational fisherman Waldemar Giżanowski from the Port of Kołobrzeg told PAP that 13 million PLN was paid to fishermen from the promised assistance of the ministry. He added that the amount proposed by the ministry is small and compensation for the recreational fishermen industry should amount to PLN 70 million.

Written by Robert Pietrzak/PAP