Lobster fishers in the Lillebælt strait say their traps are being cut open and emptied, and their association now says future incidents will be reported to police.
DR reported on August 23 that lobster fishers in Lillebælt have been hit by vandalism and theft over the past year. The damage affects their traps, known in Danish as tejner, which have been opened and in some cases cut apart.
One of the fishers, Andreas Granild Hansen from Fredericia, told DR that traps have been cut into pieces from one end to the other. That means buying new gear each time, which he describes as money straight out of his own pocket.
According to DR, Hansen makes his living from lobster fishing in Lillebælt for about half the year. He says traps are emptied on a weekly basis, while physical vandalism is less frequent.
Hansen is the sixth generation in his family to fish in Lillebælt. He says the problem has never been as severe as it is now.
Allan Buch, chairman of the fishers’ association Bælterne Fiskeriforening, told DR that the situation is becoming quite serious. He describes vandalism-like destruction of expensive gear that cannot simply be repaired, and says most lobster fishers in Lillebælt have encountered it.
No police reports so far
None of the episodes have been reported to police, Buch said, but that will change if the damage continues. He also plans to call a meeting where local diving clubs can take part, and stresses that he is not accusing any specific group.
DR reports that no one knows who is behind the damage. It remains unclear whether it is deliberate vandalism, or whether divers may be mistaking the traps for so-called ghost nets, old fishing nets that can harm marine life.
Henning Aaberg, chairman of the diving club Aktiv in Fredericia, rejects the idea that divers are responsible. Per DR, he had not heard of destroyed fishing gear or stolen lobsters before, and was surprised the fishers had not contacted the diving clubs.
Trade outlet Fiskeri Tidende reported on August 11, 2026 that Hansen found ten traps wrecked in Lillebælt on July 11. The mesh had been cut out between each metal rod, with gear damage put at about 10,000 kroner.
The same outlet reported that Hansen and his father lost around 45,000 kroner to vandalism and lobster theft the previous year. Fiskeri Tidende also cited Bælterne Fiskeriforening expressing serious concern while urging caution about blaming specific groups.
The Danish police describe vandalism as a case where someone destroys or removes property that does not belong to them. According to politi.dk, guidance last updated on July 16, 2026, such offenses can be reported online, by phone or at a police station.
