Canned fish

The coast of the Basque Country is one of the most important places in the Bay of Biscay in terms of canned fish. The quality of the jars and cans that come out of this sea is appreciated all over the world, but do we know why? It would seem evident that a land with such a fishing tradition is destined to develop its own canning industry, although this was not always the case. Food preservation methods consisted of rudimentary practices based on natural preservative substances until approximately the s. XVIII., when hermetic preservation was invented, which allowed food to be kept in good condition for a longer period of time.

This historical period coincided with the moment in which the Treaty of Utrecht stopped allowing Basque cod and whale fishing in the North Atlantic in favor of English vessels. This practice meant significant economic gains for the Basque coastal capitals, so, when it had to be abandoned, it was necessary to choose to direct efforts to other sectors -such as livestock - or focus fishing in the Cantabrian Sea.

This last option was embraced by the many fishing villages that, with great effort, managed to continue living from fishing, largely thanks to the preparation of catches as preserves.