Borgundfjord fishing

We are now sailing directly above our larder. The Borgund fjord is an important spawning ground for migrating cod, and every winter, from February to April, the Borgund fjord fisheries take place here, as has been the case for more than one thousand years. An old written source dating from the 1760s estimates that the number of participating vessels was equivalent to 500 large fishing boats crewed by about 3000 fishermen. This did not include fishermen from other communities. Most of the farms in the Sunnmøre region participated in these important fisheries. Farmer fishermen came from near and far. Even the farms in the innermost reaches of the fjord, and those far from the shoreline, would have a share in a boat and go cod fishing every year. The fjord was crowded, and we can assume that there were numerous conflicts. We can barely imagine what it was like with so many farmer-fishermen pouring in. On the islands off Ålesund the islanders built boarding houses to accommodate all those who came to fish. The fishermen brought their own supplies with them, but paid for lodgings and the cook who prepared their meals. Today, fishing is done with modern methods and in a more regulated fashion to protect the valuable cod stocks, but the spring fisheries remain a huge annual event, whether you are fishing for work or leisure. And isn’t it nice that you can use your fishing rod to catch your own dinner on an afternoon stroll in the centre of Ålesund?