Visboten

Visboten, literally “fishing boats” in Dutch, are vessels designed to harvest fish and other seafood from oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes. They range from small coastal craft to large industrial ships and are used for commercial as well as recreational fishing. The primary function of visboten is to deploy fishing gear, retrieve the catch, and transport it to shore, often with on-board handling and cooling facilities.

Common types include trawlers, which tow a large net called a trawl; seiners, which deploy purse seines to encircle schooling fish; longliners, which set long lines with hundreds or thousands of hooks; gillnetters, which use vertical nets to entangle fish; and pot or trap boats, which place cages or pots with bait to lure catch. Gear types and vessel size reflect target species, fishing grounds, and regulatory frameworks.

Construction and propulsion have evolved from traditional wooden boats to steel, aluminum, or fiberglass hulls powered by diesel engines. Modern visboten may feature advanced deck machinery, refrigeration, and on-board processing. Some coastal or small-scale vessels rely on wind or hybrid propulsion, but most commercial fleets are engine-driven for reliability and range.

Regulation covers safety, access, and environmental impact. National authorities and international bodies set vessel registration, licensing, catch quotas, gear restrictions, and reporting requirements. Sustainability efforts focus on reducing bycatch, protecting vulnerable species, and ensuring long-term fish stocks while supporting coastal communities that depend on visboten.