For twenty years, anyone wishing to travel inland from the Jade to the Ems could do so free of charge - there was no charge for the six locks, 15 fixed bridges and 27 movable bridges. This is now set to end. In future, all pleasure craft will have to pay 6 euros per lock passage - a trip through the entire canal will save a whopping 36 euros.
This also applies to many sailors on holiday or on transfer trips. Especially in expected bad weather and storms, the 73 kilometres through the East Frisian landscape with the mast down are a safe alternative to a good 100 nautical miles on the North Sea or through the Wadden Sea. Many also use it to first sail from the Jade to Emden and visit the East Frisian Islands with the tide running more favourably from west to east. Every year, around 5,000 boats pass through the waterway in the green meadows.
For sailors in the region, the new tariff regulations of the Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN) mean the end of a tried and tested practice: until now, the sailing clubs of the Weser/Ems regional association in the Lower Saxony Sailing Association (SVN) have each paid a flat rate of €70 per year to maintain lock operation. The state organisation now requires the clubs to find at least 500 boaters who will each pay €40 in order to have free passage all year round. "We won't be able to manage that. We have around 90 boats directly in and around the canal," says Gerhard Wulff, Vice Chairman of the Timmel boating club.
Alternatively, year-round free travel is available for a handsome €500 per boat. "The SVN is currently in negotiations with the NLWKN. It's not just us boaters here in the canal that are affected. We will also have fewer guest boaters. This is contrary to the efforts to further revitalise tourism in East Frisia," Wulff continues. He is currently considering a boating demonstration in Aurich if the negotiations do not lead to a favourable outcome. Hans Hüser, Chairman of the Weser/Ems Regional Association of the SVN, is cautiously optimistic in this regard: "We have brought together tourism and water sports associations and are trying to get the money together."
