In the Dutch seaside town of Scheveningen, locals and visitors couldn’t help but learn all about the pelagic fishing industry last month, when they were faced with large pictorial billboards lined up along the promenade throughout September.
The exhibition told the history of this fishery through vintage black and white images and brought it up to date with modern photography. The Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association (PFA), whose president Gerard van Balsfoort, explained that the organization was seeking innovative ways to communicate with the public about pelagic fishing, commissioned it.
“I saw the concept used on the promenade by someone who had opened a new restaurant and wanted people to know about it, and realized that it was an idea we could use to tell our own story,” he said.
“In particular, we want the public to understand that our fishery provides vital food to low income people in need, especially in African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Egypt and Cameroon. The billboards do this well by using photos of both fishing and human activity.”
People have been particularly drawn to the photos of African women selling fish. These are a colorful portrayal of the market scene in many countries, where traditionally dressed women are the main traders in all sorts of commodities, and have become major economic players. Known as ‘Mama Benz,’ these women save up for a chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz car as their status symbol.
The women act as agents for food importers and command good prices for the catch. They are also demanding in terms of quality, and pelagic companies such as PFA member Parlevliet & Van der Plas work hard upstream to ensure tight grading, durable packaging and eye-catching logos on the cartons — which are all vital marketing tools in Africa.
This is the first time that the PFA has highlighted the issues of food security and human needs alongside the important but often thorny subject of responsible and sustainable fishing, which has been its main focus in recent years.
“We have shouted long and hard about how the PFA works closely with international scientists, environmental organizations, governments and fisheries management bodies, to ensure that accurate research provides the information necessary to ensure sustainable fisheries and effective fish stock management. However, a lot of this goes over people’s heads. Instead, we want to concentrate on getting the Dutch public to understand the simple message that we fish in a responsible manner and don’t destroy the oceans, and for them to think about all the people our activity feeds,” said van Balsfoort.
Fish caught by the PFA’s nine member companies is frozen onboard and sold only for direct human consumption, rather than for conversion into fishmeal. Around 90 percent of the catch is sent to markets outside Europe.
“Our fish provides on average, around 6 million fish meals per day, 5.5 million of which are in Africa,” said van Balsfoort. “That makes 2.5 billion affordable fish meals a year, which are healthy, high-quality protein, and high in omega 3 fatty acids. It also means that PFA members make a massive contribution to global food security.”
The billboards have now been moved to Dr. Lelykade, the harbor area in Scheveningen where they will continue to spread their positive message over the next few months.
