The Gävle fishermen (Swedish: Gävlefiskarna) were fishermen from the Swedish town of Gävle who specialized in herring fishing along the Norrland coast from the 15th to the 19th centuries. From 1557 to 1776, they held a monopoly, granted by the Swedish monarchy, which encompassed all fishing activities along the coastline, extending over approximately 2000 kilometers. The Gävle fishermen established and maintained fishing villages along the coast where they conducted their fishing operations. Their primary residences, however, remained in Gävle. Every year, the fishing families sailed to their village in the spring, fished there during the summer, and sold the produced salted herring at markets in central Sweden in the fall. The Gävle fishermen's long-distance voyages faced increasing competition from other fishermen, and this led to a decline in such practices starting from the late 16th century. The tradition of these voyages eventually came to an end, marked by the last documented trip undertaken by Erik August Grellson and Erik Wilhelm Högberg to Trysunda in 1899.
History
Beginnings In the early 15th century, fishermen originating from central Swedish towns, notably Gävle, initiated extended journeys along the Norrland coast with the primary aim of herring fishing.Jan Moritz: Gävlefiskarna i Ångermanland. 1992, pp. 1. Crucial advancements in fish processing techniques, particularly salting, played a pivotal role in enabling these long-distance voyages. Until the 14th century, people ate Baltic herring fresh or dried. However, a significant shift occurred when Lübeck merchants began exporting salt from the Lüneburg saltworks to regions in Scandinavia with lower salt availability. This transformation elevated the importance of fishing in these areas. Notably, the Hanseatic League played a significant role in marketing salted herring as a Lenten dish throughout Europe.Kjell E. G. Söderberg: Ulvöhamn – två bilder ur ett fiskeläges historia. 1995, pp. 27–29.
Located at the mouth of the Gavleån River in the Gulf of Bothnia, Gävle was originally a small fishing village,Kjell E. G. Söderberg: Ulvöhamn – två bilder ur ett fiskeläges historia. 1995, pp. 35. that received a town charter from King Christopher III in 1446.Kjell E. G. Söderberg: Ulvö gamla kapell. 1972, pp. 1. Initially, Gävle fishermen competed with those from towns further south for the best fishing spots. However, a significant turning point occurred in 1557 when they were accorded an exclusive privilege by King Gustav Wasa to engage in fishing activities along the Norrland coast. In return for this privilege, they paid a tax to the crown, amounting to every tenth ton of salted herring. By 1559, the community of Gävle fishermen had expanded, comprising 149 fishermen located in various fishing villages, primarily along the Ångermanland coast. Their combined catch for that year reached 340 barrels of herring.Johan Nordlander: Gävlebornas fiskefärder till Ångermanlands kust. 1923, pp. 1–3.
Competition from other fishermen and decline
During the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a period of significant change and competition unfolded in the fishing industry of Norrland. Newly established towns north of Gävle sought to assert control over the lucrative fishing grounds, sparking disputes and occasional conflicts between the Gävle fishermen and their rivals.Johan Nordlander: Gävlebornas fiskefärder till Ångermanlands kust. 1923, pp. 3. In 1623, the town of Sundsvall was granted access by the crown to some of the most productive fishing grounds in Medelpad. As part of this arrangement, the Gävle fishermen were permitted to continue using the harbors, albeit in exchange for rent.Per Vedin: Det forntida fisket vid norrlandskusten: Gävlebohamnar under gångna århundraden. 1930, pp. 90. Among these harbors, the fishing village of Ulvöhamn emerged as a crucial hub, facilitating trade and serving as a pivotal link between Stockholm and northern Sweden. Despite certain trade restrictions, local farmers engaged in an illegal exchange, primarily involving the purchase of salt. However, the citizens of Härnösand, desiring control over this lucrative trade, successfully lobbied for a prohibition in 1646. Nonetheless, both fishermen and farmers found ways to circumvent the ban. In 1668, King Charles XI responded to petitions from the citizens of Härnösand by imposing a decree obliging Gävle fishermen to visit Härnösand in the spring and autumn, subjecting them to inspections there. This arrangement aimed to limit the transport of goods beyond the necessary salt for spring salting and equivalent quantities of salted herring in the fall. The Gävle fishermen, however, voiced complaints to the king regarding the time-consuming inspections. As a resolution, beginning in 1675, inspectors were dispatched from Härnösand to the fishing villages to conduct visits, effectively putting an end to illegal trade practices. This change was also driven by the substantial fines imposed for violating the law, leading to a cessation of illegal trade around 1700.Johan Nordlander: Gävlebornas fiskefärder till Ångermanlands kust. 1923, pp. 8–13. By 1701, Gävle fishermen had discontinued their long-distance voyages to Medelpad due to the escalating competition from fishermen based in Sundsvall. Some Gävle fishermen redirected their efforts to other fishing villages further north, while others settled in Medelpad.Per Vedin: Det forntida fisket vid norrlandskusten: Gävlebohamnar under gångna århundraden. 1930, pp. 91. Consequently, their numbers declined to 71 by 1737, and they frequented fewer fishing villages, which were situated even farther north than in the early 17th century.Albert Eskeröd: Gävlebornas strömmingsfiske. 1946, pp. 11–12.
In 1766, a significant change occurred when the king abolished the water regime, restoring fishing rights to landowners. This decision marked the end of the Gävle fishermen's exclusive privilege to fish across Norrland. Consequently, they were compelled to lease their former fishing villages, and fishing activities continued for approximately another century.Albert Eskeröd: Gävlebornas strömmingsfiske. 1946, pp. 6. However, in October 1802, Gävle fishermen faced one of the most tragic incidents in their history. During this period, a devastating storm struck as three fishermen and their families were returning to Gävle. Tragically, their boat capsized off the coast of Åland, leading to the loss of all seventeen occupants.Kjell E. G. Söderberg: Ulvö gamla kapell. 1972, pp. 3.
The decline of fishing trips had many causes, one of the main reasons was the stronger competition from other fishermen. Many of the Gävle fishermen originally came from Ångermanland, their ancestors had moved to Gävle and become members of the citizenry there. Now more and more fishermen decided to settle down, often in their old fishing villages. The reasons were the desire for better housing and the construction of railroads from the west coast of Sweden to the east coast. There, the Gävle fishermen had previously sold their salt herring; with the railroad, fresh fish could be transported in large quantities and sold more cheaply than salt herring. Gävle's economy also became more and more oriented towards trade, and together with the beginning of industrialization, many workers were needed there. The last Gävle fishermen at the end of the 19th century were Erik August Grellson's family and Erik Wilhelm Högberg. They sailed to Trysunda for the last time in 1899. Högberg still sailed to Skeppsmalen every spring on a steamboat until 1914, fished there during the summer, and returned home to Gävle in the fall. When he died at Christmas 1914, the Gävle fishermen tradition ended for good.Jan Moritz: Gävlefiskarna i Ångermanland. 1992, pp. 10–12.
Spring voyage The Gävle fishermen typically commenced their fishing trips around the transition between April and May, coinciding with the onset of the sea ice melting. The entire family, along with household servants, would gather for these journeys, and sometimes multiple families would embark together in a single boat. For the duration of the summer, they brought with them most of what they would require, including household items, provisions (including live animals), salt for the preservation of fish, and trade goods for interactions with the local population. While the fishermen brought their nets from Gävle and other tools to the fishing village during the winter, the barrels used for storing salted herring were not transported but instead crafted anew each summer. The journey covered distances of up to 350 kilometers and typically took one to two weeks, but according to tradition, individual fishermen were reputed to have covered this distance in as little as 48 hours when benefiting from favorable winds.Per Vedin: Det forntida fisket vid norrlandskusten: Gävlebohamnar under gångna århundraden. 1930, pp. 17–20.
Fishing villages
Families traveling to their fishing villages brought along goats and sheep, with the occasional inclusion of pigs and cows. Goats held significant importance for the Gävle fishermen due to their role as milk providers, and many families owned multiple goats. Goats were preferred over cows for transport, as they were better suited to the modest conditions on the islands and were easier to transport. Pigs, while able to consume fish waste, resulted in slightly tainted meat consequently.Per Vedin: Det forntida fisket vid norrlandskusten: Gävlebohamnar under gångna århundraden. 1930, pp. 21.Kjell E. G. Söderberg: Ulvöhamn – två bilder ur ett fiskeläges historia. 1995, pp. 71.Albert Eskeröd: Gävlebornas strömmingsfiske. 1946, pp. 21.
At the outset, the families of the fishermen resided in simple log houses featuring a single room and a fireplace built from natural stone. Furnishings were limited to essential items like beds, tables, and chairs. After each fishing trip, the fishermen would haul their boats ashore. As time progressed, houses became more elaborate, boasting multiple rooms and built from wooden boards. Nevertheless, their interiors remained rather modest. In a typical fishing village during the early 19th century, sheds encircled a bay, with boats resting on the adjacent beach and dwellings situated above them.Jan Moritz: Gävlefiskarna i Ångermanland. 1992, pp. 8. Boathouses designed for shelter from inclement weather were only erected towards the end of the 19th century, with some of the older sheds being converted for this purpose. These sheds, oriented with their gables facing the water, served as storage spaces for vats, barrels, and tools. On the water-facing side, they featured docks for the loading and unloading of boats. Originally, these dwellings and sheds were unpainted; it was not until the early 20th century that they adopted the distinctive Falun red color.Kjell E. G. Söderberg: Fiskarkulturen på Ulvön. 1982, pp. 9–11.