On April 14, 2023, police in Vlissingen arrested three fish traders suspected of selling undersized fish. The arrests came after late night raids on five trawlers in the city's

harbor. According to a police spokesperson, the raids were conducted to search for black market fish or fish that were undersized and landed without registration. Selling non-registered fish is illegal and disturbs the ecological balance. Catching young fish also prevents them from reproducing, further exacerbating the ecological issue.

Approximately 150 police officers participated in the raids, prompted by a tip-off about fish being sold outside the usual channel of the fish auction. During the operation, all crew members were stopped and searched, but they are not considered suspects at this time. The police will continue to investigate the catch, and the crew members will be questioned. Photo by Peter van der Sluijs, Wikimedia commons.