Size matters in many areas of life, including fisheries. The minimum legal size of landed fish is a common tool in the fishery manager’s regulatory box because it is important for fish that are young be allowed to propagate before they are harvested, so that the fish population remains healthy. Regulations allowing only large fish to be landed helps protect fish stocks. However, fishers from different countries targeting the same stocks should be subject to the same regulations. Until recently, only Belgian fishermen of sole in EU waters were subject to a minimum size rule of 25 cm; other EU countries, such as the Netherlands, allowed landings of sole of 24 cm, a significant difference for relatively small species such as sole. Effective 15 February 2025, a rule from the Minister of Sea Fisheries has allowed Belgian fishermen the same 24 cm size limit for sole as their European competitors. This relaxation of the rules is based on the finding that the stock is healthy—the total sole quota in the North Sea in 2025 rose by 169% year on year.
We are pleased that the minister has responded to our request to eliminate the inequality with our foreign colleagues, said Geert De Groote, owner of the fishing vessel Z.98 Windroos and chairman of the Rederscentrale. This will not lead to an increased supply of small sole, but to a reduction in administratively imposed food waste. Hilde Crevits, Minister of Sea Fisheries stated that in the context of the level playing field with other European member states and to combat food waste, our country will also apply the 24 cm size for sole. This is the biological minimum size imposed by the European regulation to keep the stock in good condition. The technical measure with mandatory use of selective fishing gear to allow as many sole that are too small and too young to escape as possible, will be retained for our Belgian fishermen. However, from 15 February, any sole with a minimum size of 24 cm may be used for human consumption.