Fishing port
Traditionally, Den Helder has been a fishing port, and is the home port to a modern fishing fleet. The fishermen of Den Helder and Texel have invested heavily in the construction of an auction building, which complies with the most stringent EC standards on hygiene and quality. The privatised fish auction is one of the most up to date in Europe, and is currently one of the largest in the Netherlands. Not only Dutch but also German, Danish, Norwegian, British and Belgian fishing vessels land their catch in Den Helder. On 1 January 2007, the Den Helder Fish Auction has been merged with the Fish Auction in Den Oever, under the new name Fish Auction Hollands Noorden. To guarantee good business practice, the fishermen can call upon the services of the Coöperatieve Inkoop- en Verkoop Vereniging voor Visserij Benodigdheden (Cooperative for the Purchase and Sale of Fishing Supplies - C.I.V. Den Helder), and a range of fish-supplying businesses based in Den Helder.
They can also have their ships maintained and repaired in Den Helder. One specialist in this field is Scheepswerf Visser (Visser Shipyard), equipped with a wide range of modern facilities including a dry dock with a lifting capacity of 1100 tonnes, and a number of slipways for raising fishing vessels out of the water. The shipyard also services other types of vessel, including those from the offshore sector. Over the last few years, this yard has gained a reputation for the design and construction of various types of fishing vessel for both the Dutch and the export market, as well as tugs, survey vessels, diving support vessels and landing craft. Den Helder also offers a fully roofed-in grit-blasting and painting facility for ship preservation work.
The fishermen themselves can complete their educational training at the local Fisheries School. For sport fishing, numerous day trips are organised on the Wadden Sea or North Sea, on special craft sailing from Den Helder.