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hidden europe 53

Fishing stations

by hidden europe

Picture above: Former fishing station at Grynge on the east coast of the island of Gotland. It is typical of the fishing stations that the roofs abutted onto one another (as seen here at Grynge). That gave more protection against the elements (photo © hidden europe).

Summary

A number of fishing stations around the coasts of the Baltic islands of Fårö and Gotland recall the heyday of the herring trade, when farmers would become fishermen for a few weeks.
hidden europe 53 / Snippet  / By hidden europe

Abandoned places have often featured in hidden europe, with our repertoire of lost communities ranging from a Russian mining town in the Arctic to an Italian village drowned by the rising waters of a new reservoir. The Baltic islands of Gotland and Fårö, featured in this issue of the magazine, have around their coasts a number of very distinctive settlements which are either abandoned or, insofar as they are still used, have entirely lost their original function.

In the heyday of the herring trade, many farmers on Gotland and Fårö supplemented their income by becoming part-time fishermen. This led to a development of a number simple fishing stations around the coast; the remains of many still exist today.

This is just an excerpt. The full text of this article is not yet available to members with online access to hidden europe. Of course you can read the full article in the print edition of hidden europe 53.