The Netherlands is world-famous for its cycling culture. And statistics reveal that there are more bicycles than people, at 1.4 bikes per person.
Unfortunately it is also true that thousands of them end up in canals each year. I know, it may sound like an urban legend, but instead it is a real issue, one that requires a dedicated group of professionals known as ‘bicycle fishers’. Their job? To keep the waterways clean by pulling out sunken bikes and other debris.
What do bicycle fishers do?
Bicycle fishers work for municipal services or private cleanup companies, retrieving bikes and other waste from the canals using cranes, nets and hooks. It’s a surprisingly demanding job that combines physical labour with environmental responsibility. The job can be explained in three main tasks:
Finding bikes – Some bikes are visible just below the water’s surface, while others require sonar technology to locate.
Retrieving bikes – Using a large claw or crane, the fishers pull the bikes up and load them onto a barge or truck.
Sorting and recycling – Once retrieved, some bikes are returned to their owners, if these can be found, if they are in decent condition. Others are sold second-hand. However, most are too rusted and are sent for scrap and recycling.
Bike fishing is an important job. First of all, bikes must be removed from the canals for environmental reasons. Bikes can leak chemicals into the water, affecting plants and fish life. Furthermore, in the Netherlands, canals are used for navigation, to transport goods and people. It goes without saying that they must be smooth and clean to allow boats to pass by with no risks.
Want to become a bike fisher?
Like any other job there are some skills required. Besides being in good physical condition to do the job, you also need to have at least a bit of experience with boats and unpredictable weather, basic mechanical knowledge (you are required to dismantle and sort the materials), and in some cases you need to speak Dutch, depending on who is hiring you.
Speaking of which, who hires the bike fishers? As said earlier, the job request can come directly from the municipalities, in particular in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Dordrecht. Private water management companies and recycling firms do bike fishing work as well.
What can you find in the canals besides bikes?
Beyond bicycles, canal fishers have recovered literally any kind of thing, from shopping carts to motorcycles, from smartphones to – still locked – safes. Sometimes they even find weapons – in that case the police is alerted.
Bicycle fishing is an essential and oddly satisfying job. The work keeps the Netherlands’ iconic canals clean while helping the environment. It’s proof that even in a modern, bike-loving nation, some professions remain surprisingly unique.
Written by Rossella Davì