The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Miljøstyrelsen) has opened consultation on a voluntary DKK70 million ($10.45 million) scheme to scrap fishing vessels under 18 metres affected by new fishing restrictions.
The scheme is funded through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. Its draft guidance allocates DKK20 million to Limfjord mussel vessels, DKK40 million to vessels using bottom-towed gear and DKK10 million to gillnet vessels operating in the Kattegat, Belt Sea and western Baltic.
Support can cover up to 100 per cent of the vessel's value and scrapping costs, subject to deductions for removed parts and scrapping payments received. If applications exceed available funds, priority will go to the lowest requested vessel value per gross tonne.
Vessels must have fished for at least 90 days in each of 2024 and 2025. Mussel vessels need average annual Limfjord mussel landings of at least DKK100,000.
Trawl and gillnet vessels generally need at least DKK250,000 in landings from the three areas, representing at least 30 per cent of total landing value.
Scrapping permanently removes the vessel's licences, and recipients may not increase fishing capacity until five years after payment. The agency expects about 50 applications.
Responses are due by November 1. The rules are expected to take effect on December 1, 2026, with a draft application window closing on December 22.
The scheme follows a July 2025 political agreement that committed to banning bottom-towed gear across the Belt Sea and in several areas of the Kattegat.
