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Bermeo (Bizkaia), c. 1930. Indalecio Ojanguren. General Archive of Gipuzkoa.

Bermeo is a seaside city with nearly 17 000 inhabitants. Former caput Biscaiae ‘capital of Bizkaia’, the city was for centuries a major fishing and trading port.

Deep-sea trawler vessels of about 150 tonnes, each manned by some 15 fishermen from Bermeo, would leave the neighbouring city port of Ondarroa. They sailed through the Gulf of Bizkaia, as far as the Sole Bank, fishing for, among other species, hake (lebatza), monkfish (zapoa), bib (takarta)… Trawlers fished in small fleets of one, two or three, taking turns, if at all, to bring the catch back to shore. They stayed out at sea for as long as the caught fish would keep fresh, approximately 20 days, and embarked again after a couple of days off. (more…)