Dender River Violations Increasing in Aalst, Muylaert Calls for Action

Aalst (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Fishing stewards of the Flemish Carp Collective in Aalst report rising rule violations on the Dender River. Chair Stefan Muylaert urges more powers. ANB, with 30 inspectors, seeks police cooperation.

As VRT News reported, fishing stewards of the Flemish Carp Collective are warning about growing problems along the Dender River in Aalst. Many fishermen do not follow the rules, said Stefan Muylaert, chairman of the collective. The stewards try to stop rule-breaking because that is the limit of their authority. 

“Sometimes 3 or 4 fishermen gather around our stewards and threaten them. Last week, one of our stewards was seriously punched during a confrontation,”

Muylaert said.

What rising Dender river violations in Aalst mean for anglers and authorities?

Muylaert said the fishermen usually leave before the authorities get to the scene. The Flemish Carp Collective wants stewards to have more powers. They believe stronger authority would allow them to enforce the rules. 

“We are asking for our chief stewards to be made gas officials. Then gas fines can actually be issued for these violations,”

says Muylaert.

The Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB) has confirmed that violations along the Dender River and other areas in Flanders are becoming more frequent. Jeroen Denaeghel of ANB said these infractions are often discovered during random checks.

“It seems the problem is worse in Aalst. We plan to investigate the situation there more closely,”

he said. 

“You must be able to catch offenders red-handed, but we cannot be everywhere at the same time with our inspectors.”

Jeroen Denaeghel, spokesperson for the Agency for Nature and Forests

“With only 30 nature inspectors for the entire region of Flanders, it is impossible to be everywhere at once. We have to set priorities, and those priorities are not always focused only on fishing regulations,”

Denaeghel explained. To improve enforcement, ANB calls for closer cooperation with other law enforcement agencies. 

“I think first of the police,”

concludes Denaeghel.

The Dender River in Aalst has long been a popular spot for fishing enthusiasts, attracting both casual and serious anglers. Over the years, the Flemish Carp Collective has monitored the river closely to ensure that fishing rules are followed and fish populations are protected. Despite this, rule-breaking and confrontations with stewards have increased, raising concerns about safety along the river and the enforcement of regulations.