Give me my flounder back

Day in day out, I see thousands of wrong doings, environmental pollution and degradations of nature as we love it … and all of this is done within the law. The law that is manipulated by lobbyists who are hired by the very people who are killing the air and soil we so desperately need to make a sustainable future.

When I see some vignerons in Nuits-Saint-Georges still using wheat killers, then I realise that they will never understand the problem … NEVER … and any dialog with them is utterly useless.

And with the lobbyists manipulating politicians, there is no help to be found … and this is repulsive … that great vignerons have to live with these polluters everyday … virtually in the next row of the vineyards.

This is a not a dialogue that can be fought or won by words … sadly.

In my hood

Some people say that I never take holidays … always working … others have the easiest job in the world … drinking wine day in and out.

You are all right … but not fully correct … I think about wine most of the time … it’s my job and my privilege … and my link to my beloved new family in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

I do, however, also have a background in Denmark and sometimes visit our family house on the coast of Denmark

This is where this was written … to prove that I have other interests than wine.

The European flounder (Platichthys flesus)

Is a flatfish found on the coast of Denmark … providing very delicate dishes in the summertime as do the finer European plaice and even mutants between these two flatfishes in Danish called a Leps rendering a combination with the delicacy of the plaice and the flavours of the flounder.

These flatfishes are a true delight and can, in the best cases, compete with the larger Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) with their delicacy and often simpler servings.

I love the simple dishes fresh from the sea … in the photo above from the lovely restaurant Kødbyens Fiskebar founded by Anders Selmer, a friend of the Winehog and to other food and wine lovers.

Last days of the local flounder

Fresh local fish is one of the great treats of Denmark, as it carries the very sole of the Winehog’s seafood lovings.

These days are however the last days of the flounder in the local Danish fjords due to industrial fishing, or rather scraping, of the bottom for Blue Mussels.

The scraping leaves the the bottom deserted with no habitat or food left for the flounders and other species, and what was once a rich coastline is now a wasteland for the benefit of scraping a few tins of Blue Mussels.

In some fjords, this has been forbidden – the German side for Flensburg fjords and this has already had a very positive effect.

In the Holbaek case, the scraping is done under legal permission and blessing … are there no limits to ignorant idiots in Danish politics? … or should I say, partly permitted.

The ships in this fjord HO7 Ronja and KA56 Fortuna … two small ships … have a transponder that can document the fishing activity, to track if the ships stay in permitted distance to the fjord floor. The boats cannot fish in very shallow waters – below 4 meters. Any fishing done within this limit would cause grave damage to the environment.

It has however been noticed by a group of protesters that the transponder is allegedly turned off when fishing in very shallow water. Let’s be clear, if this is true, this is illegal fishing. A disgrace by any account

I personally will boycott the company who sells the Mussels from these scrapings … and urge them to stop the destructive scraping in the inner fjords.

I am currently tracking where these Blue Mussels are being processed and sold! I will be back!

Give me my Flounders back!