Fishing in Finland in the the early 20th century

"At Sea", Oil on canvas by Albert Edelfelt (1883)
Gothenburg Museum of Art

As a result of the development of agriculture, industry and commerce, the importance of fishing declined in Finland in the 19th century. In the beginning of the 20th century the share of full time fishermen and hunters - altogether about 16.000 people - had dropped to only about 0,7% of the total work force.

But even during the following decades fishing still was important in Finland, particularly for the Swedish speaking inhabitants of the south-western coastal area of Finland and the Åland islands.

Baltic herring - a smaller variety of herring - was traditionally the most popular seafood in Finland. Perch, pike, bream, pike-perch and whitefish were also among the favorites. (The catch of Baltic herrings amounted to slightly over 20 million kilos in 1934.)

To eke out a living from fishing was not easy in the often cold and windy waters of the vast Finnish archipelago.

The pictures below are from the 1920s:

Hauling back the net.

The catch was placed on the solid granite rock.

Preparing the catch.

Fishermen's huts on Åland Islands.

An ice fishing camp in the Finnish archipelago.

The net being hauled in.

A good catch of Baltic herring.

This type of  "dams" were used for salmon fishing in the rivers.

The catch of salmons.

Fishing boats at the Market Square in the center of Helsinki. 

At the time of the traditional Baltic Herring Fair - which dates beck to at least 1743 - fishermen from the entire southern and southwestern coastal areas and the Åland islands gather at the Helsinki Markets Square. This drawing by Albert Edelfelt is from the 1890s. The Baltic Herring Fair in early October is still a very popular event in Helsinki.. 

In the 1930s, the rivers of Petsamo, on the shore of the Arctic (at the time still in Finnish hands) became popular among international - particularly British - sport fishers: