A century ago, eel fishing was a typical activity in Lier. Brave men went up the Nete at night and let their boats drift with the tide. Every 5 minutes they hoisted up their net. As the boats moved slower than the current, the eels swam into the net.
Today, the eel boats no longer ply the waters of Lier. The Law against poaching, enacted in 1974, banned fishing with nets. Only the tourist boats and the stories of the Koninklijke Moedige Bootvissers (Royal Company of Brave Boat Fishermen) still hark back to this Lier heritage.
ALSO INTERESTING FOR YOU
