Denmark has lifted the ban on horse shrimp fishing in the waters off Rømø, Mandø and Lister Dyb. The change took effect on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
The decision was announced Friday by Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen (SF), minister for societal security and emergency management. According to DR, the minister stressed that the decision was based solely on safety considerations.
The ban was tied to unexploded munitions from the Second World War on the seabed. In a statement, the Ministry for Societal Security and Emergency Management said the three areas are being reclassified from prohibited areas to advisory areas.
The reclassification is carried out by amending Bekendtgørelse nr. 135 af 4. marts 2005, which regulates sailing, anchoring and fishing in certain Danish waters. Per the ministry, authorities will still warn against anchoring, bottom-towed fishing and seabed work in the areas, but the activities are no longer forbidden.
Bech-Nielsen said she wanted a professional evidence base before assessing whether the restrictions could be adjusted. As stated by the ministry, she is satisfied that fishermen and local communities received a fact-based clarification quickly. DR’s news coverage adds that fishermen now operate at their own risk, with mine warnings still in place.
How the ban came about
The ban on fishing with bottom-towed gear had applied since May 29, 2026, according to Fiskeri Tidende. The outlet reported that the restriction rested on an old minefield rule, brought to the attention of authorities by Danmarks Naturfredningsforening.
In her first written response in June, the minister framed the ban as a measure for the safety of fishermen, citing large amounts of ammunition and explosives in the seas around Denmark. Fiskeri Tidende noted that Beredskabsstyrelsen then began a process to clarify whether there was a basis for adjustments.
Local fishermen and industry representatives had criticized the ban as excessive regulation of a well-functioning fishery. On June 19, fishermen staged a slow-driving protest on the causeway to Rømø, backed by many others in the area.
Henrik Frandsen, former mayor of Tønder Municipality and now a member of the Folketing, said the protest was about more than shrimp. As reported by DR, he described a general frustration with the regulation of industries far from the capital. The dispute also reached Christiansborg, where the blue bloc called the minister to a consultation.
Political pressure continued into August. Fiskeri Tidende reported that the mayors of Esbjerg and Tønder met Bech-Nielsen on August 7. Tønder mayor Jørn Pedersen said the minister took the case seriously and promised a new, fact-based assessment of the trawling ban.
