Germany has approved a €20 million programme to reduce fishing capacity in the North Sea.
The plan supports the scrapping of vessels and aims to help coastal fleets adapt to lower catch opportunities and growing spatial pressures from offshore wind farms.
Pressure on coastal fleets grows
German Coastal fishers face shrinking fishing grounds due to wind farm expansion and the establishment of new marine protected areas with strict fishing limits.
Reduced catch quotas, Brexit effects, the pandemic, and wider geopolitical shocks have further weakened the sector.
German authorities note that shrimp and flatfish vessels are under particular strain due to an imbalance between fleet size and available fishing opportunities.
Funding targets shrimp and flatfish segments
At least three-quarters of the €20 million fund will support the removal of shrimp trawlers, while up to one-quarter will go to the flatfish fleet. The government expects the shrimp fleet to shrink by around 30%.
The first funding window runs until 31 March 2026. It includes €12 million split across three clusters: two for shrimp fisheries north and south of the Elbe, and one fully open to flatfish vessels.
Three-year rollout to 2027
The support will be delivered in three phases from 2025 to 2027, administered by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).
The programme follows recommendations from Germany’s Commission for the Future of Fisheries. It uses funds from the Offshore Wind Energy Act earmarked for environmentally friendly and structural fisheries measures.
Authorities say the goal is to align fleet size with long-term fishing opportunities while providing fishers with a socially responsible way to exit the industry.