The Horseback Fishermen of Oostduinkerke

On the western end of Belgium’s short coastline, about 20 km east of Dunkirk, France, is a place called Oostduinkerke (meaning “East Dunkirk”), where a handful of fishermen practice an unusual form of fishing. Instead of using boats, these fishermen ride out to the sea on horseback.

These horseback fishermen hunt for a special variety of shrimp—the Crangon crangon, commonly known as grey shrimp, which is found in the southern North Sea, and is a delicacy in Belgium. Five centuries ago, shrimp fishing on horseback was practiced all across the North Sea coast from France to the Netherland, and even on the South of England. Today, this activity is restricted to only a few miles of the coastline in Oostduinkerke. What was once a full-time job is now just a hobby—a show put up by the last of the surviving horseback fishermen for the tourists

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Photo credit: icmmonline.org

Horseback fishing is so rare, that UNESCO awarded it a place on their Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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Shrimp fishing on horseback in Oostduinkerke

Dragon wrote:Five centuries ago, shrimp fishing on horseback was practiced all across the North Sea coast from France to the Netherland, and even on the South of England.

Ahh wow. So I imagine they must have done so where I live, that's neat. Those horses are beautiful and it's nice to see the fishermen enjoying themselves, must be great to go and watch them.