NMa presses Dutch shrimp-fishing industry for explanation

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) is pressing the Dutch shrimp-fishing industry for an explanation amid media reports suggesting that price-fixing agreements have been concluded. The reports also suggest the existence of catch-restriction agreements in order to push up prices. The NMa has immediately launched an investigation.

Chairman of the Board of the NMa Pieter Kalbfleisch explains: 'These media reports have startled me, and I have therefore invited the shrimp fishing industry to comment on them, in order to hear their side of the story. After all, artificially pushed-up prices because of collusive agreements among fishers will only harm consumers.'


Shrimp fishers are dissatisfied with the (at least in their opinion) low price levels of shrimps. That is why they recently picketed several wholesalers. They have additionally made a fisher's catch unfit for consumption, because the fisher in question had not adhered to the catch-restriction agreements made amongst the fishers.


Several times in the past, the NMa has clearly explained what the boundaries are for cooperation in the shrimp industry. In 2003, the NMa established there had been illegal catch-restriction and price-fixing agreements with regard to common shrimps between producer associations in the fishing industry. The NMa thus imposed severe fines, totaling approximately EUR 6 million.