The Dutch name Ostduinkerke (French: Ostdunkerque; West Flemish: Oostduunkerke) refers to the location of the town on Belgium's southern west coast.
Small numbers of families in the Belgian town of Oostduinkerke are maintaining a practice that had been common along the Belgian coast and European waterways once upon a time: riding horses through shallow water to search for shrimp.
Every half hour, the team returns to shore so the horse can rest and the fisherman can sort through the catch with sieves. Once the animal and its rider reach the water's chest, they ride behind a chain and net that stretches out in the waves. The chain drags over the sand, which causes the shrimp to jump into the net.
There are a number of museums in Ostduinkerke. The National Fishery Museum gives a historical overview of Flemish fishing and displays models of fishing boats dating back to 800 AD.
As a result, these types of fishing are presently only found in Oostduinkerke due to economic reasons. Financial support from the tourism board helps maintain the tradition.
There are twelve households engaged in shrimp fishing in Oostduinkerke, each with their own specialties, such as weaving nets or knowing a great deal about Dutch draft horses.
In Oostduinkerke, two times a week, the strong Brabant horses walk breast-deep in the surf and pull funnel-shaped nets. Two wooden boards are used to hold open the nets; a chain is dragged over the sand, creating vibrations that cause the shrimp to jump into the nets, where they are later cooked and eaten. An understanding of the sea and the sand strip, along with respect and trust for your horse, are the shrimpers' most important traits.
This tradition gives the community a strong sense of collective identity that plays an important role in social and cultural events, such as the two-day Shrimp Festival. The local community builds floats, prepares street theatre, and makes costumes for the festival. On certain dates, there is a shrimp cooking masterclass on-site and a shrimp tasting after the shrimp fishing. Shrimp fishing is open to the public between April and October.
However, the tradition of the festival is among the most popular tourist attractions in the area. The municipal government is promoting this activity through a variety of different activities. A shrimp parade, which involves hundreds of children being introduced to shrimp fishing, attracts over 10,000 visitors every year. Visitors can learn from experienced shrimpers by sharing their knowledge of nets, tides, currents, and cultural values. The shrimpers function on principles of mutual dependency.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/shrimp-fishing-on-horseback-in-oostduinkerke-00673) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oostduinkerke) (https://theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/the-belgian-tradition-of-shrimp-fishing-on-horseback/) (https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/shrimp-fishing-on-horseback) |Subject=Craftsmanship and Practices |Country=Belgium |SDG=(03) Good Health and Well-being, (08) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (09) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Consumption and Production }}