The Underwater Cultural Heritage of Stone Tidal Weirs

19/09/2026

Below ice fish trapping in Arctic and Subarctic environments. Examples of fish weirs in Siberia and Finland, fished during frozen winters. The older images of 1903 in a stream, , . The Mansi are an Ugric living in Khanty–Mansia Tyumen Oblast, .

In arctic and subarctic examples of these winter fishing sites in the archaeological records like fish trap found at Purkajasuo in Yli-Ii , dating to the Middle Sub neolithic dates 3692-2876 cal BC. More modern traps from the 19th and 20th centuries are still in use today.

Traditionally, most fish traps found in the Northern Hemisphere within the Arctic and subarctic region were used to catch seasonal diadromous species such as salmon and eels that regularly would migrate upriver. Because access to running waters frozen over by ice was too challenging for Indigenous peoples, they used these resources in select environments. However, examples from Russia, Scandinavia, and Canada in recent decades have revealed fishing traditions developed to changing ice levels on rivers and lakes.

Underwater Cultural Heritage of Stone Tidal Weirs Project Group. https://oceandecadechfp.org/.../indigenous-people.../

19/09/2026

A black-and-white picture from the Maritime Museum in Barcelona's archives of a fisherman in Sant Andreu de Llavanere,s one of Barcelona's northern suburbs, constructing nanses fish Traps in his garage/workshop in 1942. Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Catalonia), a distinct traditional fishermen's neighbourhood (barri mariner), fishing and made fishing gear like traps (nanses) by hand.

The nanses traps were traditionally handmade in a conical shape, made from reeds and other materials, depending on availability. Sometimes spartan grass or even resinous branches such as from olive trees. Sometimes baited with leftover fish or salted bait for durability, the traps were set on the seabed.

What are the unique features? The particular type featured in this picture is found predominantly in the Western Mediterranean, but similar traps,ls known by other names, occur in the Balearic Islands, the Italian coast, and Malta. They represent a technology and maritime tradition that evolved over at least 2000 years, with examples going back to the Roman period.

Ecologically, they are much less impactful on local fish stocks, as most small fish species can pass in and out through the gaps in the structure. Their presence on the seabed does not damage local ecology, and if they're lost or forgotten, they'll dissolve within a short time and become part of the seabed ecology. Sadly, many generations of fishermen who knew how to build these traps and use them effectively have already retired or passed away, leaving a deficit in our knowledge of fishing and the local ecology in the Mediterranean basin.

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Indigenous People, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Climate Change: The Iconic Underwater Cultural Heritage of Stone Tidal Weirs Project Group. https://oceandecadechfp.org/.../indigenous-people.../

19/09/2026

Happy to share a new blog about coastal communities and heritage co-authored by maritime archaeologist and fish trap researcher Dr Paul Montgomery and Harry Farmer of CiM and Mola.

New blog released by team at the coasts in mind about research and community in the Swale estuary Kent.

Community cooperation on the Swale Estuary Coast
By Paul Montgomery and Harry Farmer
https://lnkd.in/eDKD74TM

Find out what our volunteers got up to in the Swale Estuary during the Festival of Sheppey 🎉
From creating temporary artworks on the beach to learning how to model digitally and in clay, it was a busy festival for our team in Kent 🎨
Read all about their artistic and archaeological endeavours in our latest blog https://cim.mola.org.uk/creations/blogs/community-cooperation-on-the-swale-estuary-coast
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Coasts in Mind is a Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) project made possible by the The National Lottery Heritage Fund and

12/09/2026

Porlock Weir is one of three intertidal structures fish traps in Somerset, England. The were built in the medieval and/or post-medieval period. Used as oyster beds in the 19th Century. Mapped from aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1999.

The stone trap may have been preceded by wooden traps that are now eroded or possibly covered by the stone traps. The traps are located on the Bristol Channel, a waterway that historically saw runs of Atlantic salmon, eels, and herring. The herring run lasted from September to December with mackerel caught in summer. The weir was still in use in the post-medieval period and up to the 19th century.
Indigenous People, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Climate Change: The Iconic Underwater Cultural Heritage of Stone Tidal Weirs Project Group. https://oceandecadechfp.org/.../indigenous-people.../


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Porlock Weir is a harbour settlement approximately 1.5 miles west of the inland village of Porlock, Somerset, England. Source Google Maps

LiDAR images of the coastline at Porlock Weir Harbour, located near the town of Somerset, England.
© Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2022. All rights reserved.

11/09/2026

Ancient fish traps like the one shown here are among the many archaeological features found along Xwe'etay's shoreline. Built from wood and stone in the intertidal zone, these remarkable structures worked with the natural rhythm of the tides. At high tide, herring, salmon, and other fish entered the enclosure. As the tide receded, the fish remained inside, creating a sustainable and reliable food source for generations.

Learn more about Indigenous innovation, stewardship, and foodways in Island in the Middle of Everywhere, now on view on the second floor of the Royal BC Museum. Admission is included with Museum admission or membership.

11/09/2026

Depictions of in art and maps across periods reflect their role in the physical and cultural landscape, as well as their economic value. They serve as both a tangible and abstract representation of human interaction with the ocean.

They also offer insights into the nature of the coastline and how an artist or mapmaker viewed it. A border between environments that is constantly changing is incredibly timeless. Filled with unknown dangers and foreboding that populate many maps with monsters and krakens, and yet it's the source of some of the world's largest daily economic catches, i.e., cod, tuna, and sardines, also a soures of protein.

In many cases, these representations are idealised and somewhat simplified to emphasise people's role in this environment. They appear in cartographic sources and artistic contexts that depict the coastline and maritime environment. As a prominent feature of many coastlines, these monuments form part of the wider maritime cultural landscape and can occasionally pose navigation hazards to local fishermen and sailors.
Indigenous People, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Climate Change: The Iconic Underwater Cultural Heritage of Stone Tidal Weirs Project Group. https://oceandecadechfp.org/.../indigenous-people.../


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Plan of Brewarrina fish traps drawn in 1906 by A. W. Mullen, surveyor to the Western Lands Board (in North, 1916 Plate XXVII).

Map of the Guadalquivir River mouth in Spain by Samuel Chaplain (1599-1602).

The oldest image Head Weirb at Duncannon Ireland circa 1685 from a sketch by Thomas Philips(original held by NLI)

OS map Kent coastline with the outline of wood fish trap. Kent Sheet XXII.SE
Revised: 1906, Published: 1908
Size: map 31 x 46 cm (ca. 12 x 18 inches), on sheet ca. 43 x 58 cm (ca. 17 x 23 inches)

10/09/2026

Puerto Princesa trains 25 fisherfolk in lato and oyster culture to expand aquaculture skills and livelihood opportunities.

Full story in the comments ⬇️
📷 Photo courtesy of City Agriculture Office

09/09/2026

One of the amazing fish traps found in Still Bay!

𝗣𝗜𝗡📍𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗣 - 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀

The ancient fish traps of Still Bay are remarkable reminders of the ingenuity and resourcefulness of early coastal inhabitants.

These stone structures are believed to be some of the oldest human-made tidal fish traps still visible today and were thoughtfully constructed to exploit the motion of the tides to catch fish sustainably along the coastline.

Visitors can experience this fascinating piece of living heritage and enjoy the natural beauty of the coastline and experience the rich cultural history of the region.

Visit: https://stilbaaitourism.co.za/business-listing/ancient-fish-traps/

Garden Route & Klein Karoo Tourism Hessequa Municipality

09/09/2026

No todos los días coinciden el bajamar exacto y la luz dorada cayendo sobre nuestras piedras milenarias. Caminar sobre los muros de los corrales cuando el Atlántico se retira es un privilegio que solo el mar decide cuándo regalar.
Hoy nos dejó este espectáculo. Silencio, salitre y patrimonio vivo.