Through social media, Skagen, Denmark, billionaire fisherman Henning Kjeldsen has confirmed he has sold all of his pelagic fishing quotas and a new fishing vessel currently under construction.
In a post, Kjeldsen said he sold out due to political pressure put on him and his family in recent years. However, Kjeldsen is not leaving the fishing industry entirely. He still retains ownership in two other fishing vessels and has a share in a third, with another newbuild believed to be on the way.
According to Danish media reports, in mid-December 2021, Kjeldsen – who is considered one of the country’s richest fishermen, was found guilty of quota violations between 2013 and 2019 and fined DKK 54 million (USD 8.1 million, EUR 7.3 million). An additional DKK 64 million (USD 9.6 million, EUR 8.6 million) was confiscated from one of his companies.
Kjeldsen said he was tired of the witch hunt that he believes was initiated by figures within the governing Social Democrat Party and the Danish People’s Party. He confirmed the sale of his new pelagic vessel “Gitte Henning,” currently under construction at the Zamakona yard in Spain, as well as all of the pelagic quotas held by his company have been acquired by six different operators, he said.
Photo courtesy of Zamakona
