Lower quotas, higher fees squeeze Polish trawlers out of fishing industry

Over the last ten years the number of trawlers sailing under the Polish flag has decreased by nearly 60% and the amount of fish caught has decreased by 70%. "The problem with our ships is that we have no fishing grounds and our trawlers are equipped to process white fish," said Jerzy Janusz from the Fishery Institute in Gdynia. Polish trawlers can only buy quotas from Russia and they are becoming increasingly expensive and allow Poland to catch less fish. In 1996 the price was $170,000 for 111,000 tonnes of fish and two years later for 85,000 tonnes the price was $177,500. One company from Szczecin yesterday surrendered five of its boats to a debt collector, as this company owes workers over $700,000 in back salary. Due to this 200 fishermen will lose their jobs. Of three Polish long-distance fishing companies the best one has a zl. 13 million deficit. (Prawo i Gospodarka, page 1, 3) M.M.