Reviving the tradition of fish markets in Gdansk

Fishermen and fishmongers make their way to the market area in the centre of Gdansk’s old town in traditional fishing boats, wearing traditional costumes. Once on site, they organise a host of activities, including fish-tasting and fish-selling, culinary demonstrations and contests (filleting, rolling-up etc.), the showcasing of traditional net-mending and boat-making skills, as well as an open-air exhibition.

The event was organised for the first time in August 2013 and was held again in August 2014. The experience shows that selling fresh fish directly from the boat can attract additional clients, creating a new market. This has helped to convince local fishermen to set up a permanent fish stand. The project has also helped to promote cooperation between fishermen and organisations involved in maintaining fisheries heritage, and to raise the profile of the three cooperating FLAGs. If the participating FLAGs continue to operate in the new funding period, the intention is to make this a regular event.