Moules frites is a dish made of boiled mussels with a side of Belgian fries, a somewhat odd combination that is cherished by many restaurants all over Belgium. Palling in't groen, which translates literally to "eels in the green," is exactly as the name suggests, which is to say: eels in a green sauce made from herbs. There is a river called the Scheldt near Knokke where this dish has its origins. Fishermen used to fish for eel in the river and then collect random herbs from the riverbank as they walked home afterwards.
Because of its success as a center of the seafood industry, Knokke has been able to develop into Belgium's best known resort.
Due to their town's geography, officials of the Knokke area must be vigilant about monitoring the sea levels. Unfortunately, global climate change has increased sea-levels worldwide over the past few decades. Knokke and neighboring cities must therefore employ stategies to ensure that their settlements do not flood. This is especially worrisome since a lot of Knokke's modern economy is based on seasonal visitors.
Every year, sand is dumped onto the shores of the Knokke beaches to keep up with the rising of the sea. In addition, there is a sector of the Belgian government that is dedicated to flood control. Hopefully, in the coming years, scientists and weather specialists can develop new infrastructures to manage the risk of flooding. These projects might include new canals, dams, and the planned periodic flooding of lands (which helps deal with the increased water levels in a controlled manner).
