It’s not something we see in the Canadian fisheries industry, but in Belgium, the centuries-old practice of “horseback shrimp fishing” continues – at least for now.
Over five hundred years ago the idea of using a horse to drag a net to capture shrimp was born on the North Sea in Belgium. The method is still used by locals in the town of Oostduinkerke where fisherman train Belgian drafts or Brabants (named after the region where they’re bred and raised) to wade into shallow water. The nets are attached to the horse’s tail, and two baskets are laid across its back for the catch. Then the fisherman mounts up and hopes for a good haul of sweet-and-salty “brown shrimp.”
Back in the day, horseback shrimp fishing was able to sustain a livelihood, but in 2024 the way of life is kept up mainly as a local tourist attraction. As reported in Al Jazeera, the effects of climate change have impacted the shrimp in the area.