Fishing for plastics on Amsterdam's canal cruises

AMSTERDAM - Equipped with fishing rods and thick gloves, passengers peer into the water from one of the many boats that line Amsterdam's famous canals.

But it's not fish they're hunting on their cruise along one of the Dutch capital's most famous tourist attractions: It's plastic.

With eco-tourism booming around the world, the canal cruises run by the Dutch group Plastic Whale are reeling in big business.

"It's a completely other way of visiting Amsterdam," Plastic Whale founder Marius Smit said.

"Obviously, you're on the beautiful canals of Amsterdam in a really nice boat, but at the same time, you're active as well, and you add something positive to the canals and to the city because you're making it cleaner."

Smit set up the company eight years ago, aiming to create "economic value" from the plastic waste the tours dredge from the canals.

Plastic bottles are separated from the rest of the trash and are then recycled to be used in office furniture - or in building more Plastic Whale boats.

In 2018 the Plastic Whale cruises, which also run in the port city of Rotterdam, drew 12,000 visitors and this year they expect more, said Smit.

Britain's Prince Harry was due to be among the visitors earlier this year but had to cancel due to the birth of his son.

On a hot summer's morning, seven people are lined up on the bright green boat decorated with smiling whales.

Angela Katz, an Australian who has lived in Amsterdam for just over a year, is on her second tour, after learning about the cruises through Facebook.

"I really enjoyed it but also it's really eye-opening just how much rubbish there is in the canals," said the 51-year-old graphic designer, fishing rod in hand.

During the two-hour tour, the tourists fish out a bizarre range of objects including shoes, ski gloves, bleached out soda cans, wine bottles, a diaper, and even a whole pineapple.

"I think the Netherlands has an image of being very environmentally friendly, so it is surprising," added Katz, who brought her husband on the cruise as well as two friends and their three children who were visiting Amsterdam.

One of those friends, Guy O'Loughnane, from Vancouver in Canada, said he was particularly surprised by the amount of "stuff that is not even used", such as unopened bottles.

Last year, the thousands of amateur fishermen on Plastic Whale's boats collected 46,000 plastic bottles, said Smit.

Agence France-Presse