NMa reduces fines imposed on producer organisations in shrimp fishery industry

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) has decided to reduce the fines previously imposed on eight producer organisations (POs) in the shrimp fishery industry, following a court ruling. The judge ruled that the infringements committed by the Producer Organisations under the Competition Act had been established, though he qualified their participation in so-called trilateral meetings as a serious, not a very serious infringement of the Competition Act. As a result, the NMa has adjusted the fines previously imposed.

The following fines were established:

• PO Vissersbond EUR 629,000 (previously EUR 797,000)
• PO Delta Zuid (formerly PO West) EUR 301,000 (previously EUR 374,000)
• PO Texel EUR 27,000 (previously EUR 35,000)
• PO Wieringen EUR 335,000 (previously EUR 425,000)
• German association of POs Schleswig-Holstein EUR 333,000 (previously EUR 499,000 )
• German PO Weser-Ems EUR 297,000 (previously EUR 445,000)
• German PO Elbe-Weser EUR 83,000 (previously EUR 125,000 )
• Danish PO Danske Fiskeres EUR 171,000 (previously EUR 257,000)

At the start of 2003 the NMa imposed fines on producer organisations in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark and a number of Dutch traders for concluding illicit agreements on catch quotas and prices for North Sea shrimps. Deals were concluded during trilateral meetings between producer organisations and traders. The NMa has reduced the fines imposed on producer organisations relating to these infringements of the Competition Act.