Danish shrimp fishermen face livelihood threat over sudden enforcement of 40-year-old mine ban

A decades-old ban on shrimp fishing off the coast of Rømø is now being enforced, leaving local fishermen idle and threatening their livelihoods, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

The Danish Emergency Management Agency has begun enforcing a 1984 regulation prohibiting bottom-trawling in the area due to potential unexploded mines on the seabed. The rule had not been actively applied for years until the Danish Society for Nature Conservation recently drew attention to it.

Fishermen say the ban covers 95% of their usual fishing grounds, forcing them to halt operations. Troels Hellesøe-Jensen, a local shrimp fisherman, told DR his two boats have been docked since the enforcement began nearly two weeks ago. Attempts to fish near Esbjerg failed due to overcrowding, leaving him with no viable alternative.

“If this continues, I’ll have to sell the boats,” he said.

The economic impact extends to processing plants like Poseidon Rejer A/S, where production has dropped by 40%. Owner Thomas Martinsen warned of potential layoffs among his five employees if the ban persists.

Politicians have begun pressing for a review. Rune Bønneløkke, a member of parliament for the Danish People’s Party, called the enforcement “completely absurd” and questioned the safety justification, noting that beaches remain open to the public and military aircraft land in the area.

“We’re talking about fishermen who’ve worked these waters for decades. Now they risk losing their livelihood over a rule that hasn’t been enforced in 50 years,” Bønneløkke said.

He plans to raise the issue with Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen, the newly appointed Minister for Social Resilience and Emergency Management, demanding clarification on the sudden shift in policy. The Emergency Management Agency has stated that violations will be reported to police.