Norfish 01 Flemish Herring Fisheries 1386–1790

From medieval times and into the early modern period, the port of Oostende (Ostend) was a primary fishing port on the Flemish coast, second only to Nieuwport (Nieuwpoort) in Flanders. The Flemish coastal fisheries produced an industry that was highly developed and influential, reaching markets of the Hanseatic League along the Baltic coast, England and the Mediterranean. This “Golden Age” of Flemish Fisheries Oostende’s fishing effort was interrupted by natural effects such as the silting of its harbour, and numerous human affects such as warfare and political interference. However, due to ingenuity and fortitude of its fishermen, and the application of revolutionary modern techniques for treating caught fish, the industry developed apace. The 15th and 16th Centuries are regarded as the “Bloom period” of the Flemish herring fisheries.