Why did French occupation damage Dutch overseas trade and fishing during the Batavian Republic?

During the Batavian Republic (1795–1806), Dutch overseas trade and fishing were severely damaged by a combination of external conflict and internal exploitation.

Following the French occupation of the Netherlands and the subsequent flight of the stadtholder, England declared war and imposed a naval blockade. This action brought the country’s most essential economic activities to a near standstill and resulted in the British seizure of most Dutch colonies.12

Simultaneously, the French government exploited the occupied republic by forcing the Dutch to bear the financial burden of the occupying forces and pay immense sums in tribute. This exploitation was further compounded by the forced circulation of inflated French paper currency, which functioned as a form of direct taxation on the Dutch people. Despite these losses, French authorities did not provide the Netherlands with compensatory trade access to France or other territories under their control.12