Fishing in Medieval Europe

Fishing in Medieval Europe

Although, we know that fly fishing is the most superior of all types of fishing, and that dry fly fishing, is perhaps one of the most perfect and enjoyable experiences that man may have here on Earth, it is important to understand the history of fishing, and how the sport has evolved throughout time. Throughout history fish have played an important role in the diet of many cultures, including the diet of many people in Medieval Europe. Different forms of fishing and various techniques had been developed and used throughout history. Detailed information of these practices in medieval times and earlier dates is difficult to find. This being the case it is a relatively unexplored area in which much can be learned about the development of fishing technology, and its impacts on society and culture in medieval times. We will examine then in this essay, the use of fish catching gear and tackle, the use of boats, advances in maritime technology, and fish processing in Medieval Europe to approximately 1050 A.D., all of which set the stage for further advances and growth in the later part of the medieval time period.

In Medieval Europe, fish and shellfish became an important element of the European diet. This partly became true due to the fact that the Catholic Church forbade the eating of meat two days out of the week and also forbade its consumption during various special holy days and during the six weeks of Lent; these rules were strictly observed. As far as the types of fish that were eaten, fish taken from the sea dominated the market, however freshwater species were also available for consumption. The saltwater fish were of course, consumed fresh in coastal areas, but it was also common to find preserved fish on the coast and further inland. Among these fish the most popular and most widely consumed were Cod and Herring. Oysters dominated the shellfish market and crab and lobster were also consumed.

The suppliers of the fish were for the most part small organizations, some of whom worked on behalf of monastic houses. It has been assumed, that as is the case with any popular food item, that as more fish became available, the more the price would drop. This being the case, it seems that even for a large fishing operation of this time, it would have been difficult to earn a lot of wealth in the industry. With advances in fish preservation however, fisherman were able to expand their market reach further inland, and extend the availability of seasonal fish.

The gear or tackle which these organizations used varied greatly, and was dependant upon many factors. Nets, hooks and line were all made with in different designs based primarily on the type of fish. The larger fish, including bottom feeders like cod were caught primarily using a hook and line. Smaller fish that swim in schools such as herring were usually caught with nets. Other varieties of fish which tend to congregate in shallower water were often caught using spears. Fish traps were also used in areas were the tide fluctuated greatly.

The lines which were used to fish at sea with a hook were most likely made of either horse hair or hemp, and obviously had to be made strong enough to support the weight and fight of the fish. Hooks of the time have been found in many different sizes, and were made mostly of iron and bronze. Hooks of this type have been found in excavations from the time period of 1000-1200, and have been found in varying sizes. All of the found hooks had barbs on them, but they did not have an eye to string the line through like today's hooks. Instead they had a slightly thicker and wider end so that the line would not slip off the end of the hook. Some of the largest hooks found were around 75mm long, and it is speculated that hooks of larger size were also used for the biggest fish such as halibut.

Fishermen in Medieval times would use these lines and hooks much the same as fishermen do today. When fishing with lines and hooks, the lines would be thrown out the back of the boat, and were attached to a hand frame, which would be the equivalent of a modern day reel. Attached to the line would be a lead weight, which would take the line and the bait down to the right depth. A variety of things may have been used for bait, from small bait fish to the guts of other fish, depending on the type and size of the fish.

Nets were also used for the trapping of fish and were the most popular and easiest way to catch a lot of fish. Evidence of these nets have been found in Northern Europe, made of hemp twine tied in knots, but actual nets of the time have not been discovered. Ethnographic evidence has been able to assist in discovering these fishing methods, but is unable to show the exact date of the introduction of these methods (Hutchinson 135). Due to the lack of material evidence an examination of works of art show the use of nets in fishing, although they lack detail which makes it hard to be sure exactly how some of the nets would have been used.

A large variety of different nets may have been used. There is some evidence of a draw-net, which would be a narrow net with ropes on the edges attached to a wooden bar. This net worked by surrounding the fish with the net and using the ropes to pull the net in. A roundhaul net could also have been used which would be used between two boats. The net would be attached to one boat which would hold its position while the other boat circled around. This would have been a larger net with floats on the top and weights on the bottom too keep it open as long as possible, as the boat circled the net would be drawn in. The center of the net may have been in a bag type shape so as to keep the fish inside the net.

Nets of this type may have also been used from beaches. One end of the net would be attached to the beach, and the other to a boat which would head out to sea, and then circle around back to the beach. These nets were very successful, and in the centuries that would follow this type of netting became more and more prevalent. Drift nets were also used to catch schools of smaller fish such as herring. These nets would have been made of very fine material in hopes of snagging the fish by its gills. The nets would drift by themselves, suspended by a line hooked to a boat. These nets were capable of bring in large amounts of fish.

Oysters were also an important food source, and would be gathered during low tide situations, or by drags towed behind boats. These drags were made very thick and strong netting, with iron teeth or hoe-type attachments which were able to dredge up the oysters from the sea floor. This type of net helped in the development of a later invention the trawl net which is believed to have been used first in the fourteenth century to catch bottom

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