Fishing has defined life on the Holderness coast for thousands of years.
Archaeological discoveries show that some of the earliest communities to settle here were drawn by the rich inshore waters, marshes and meres that once covered much of the region. From early log boats to medieval fisheries, the sea has long sustained the people of this coastline.
By the Middle Ages, the waters of Holderness were valuable and fiercely protected. Fisheries at places such as Skipsea, Withernsea and Hornsea were important sources of food and income, and disputes over fishing rights were not uncommon.
Further along the coast, the now-lost town of Ravenser Odd became one of the world’s earliest commercial sea fisheries, exporting salted herring across the North Sea before it was claimed by the sea in the fourteenth century.
From cobles to a modern fleet
For centuries, local fishermen worked from traditional cobles - sturdy, flat-bottomed boats launched directly from the shore. Originally powered by oar and sail, these boats were later motorised as fishing evolved through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Line fishing, herring drifts, crab and lobster pots all formed part of the seasonal rhythm of the Yorkshire coast.
Over time, careful management of stocks and fishing grounds allowed shellfish landings to grow. By the early twenty-first century, Bridlington had emerged as Britain’s leading shellfish port.
Today, Bridlington lands more lobster than anywhere else in Europe, a remarkable achievement for a small stretch of coastline built on generations of knowledge and skill.
A living heritage
While boats and equipment have modernised, the foundations remain the same: local waters, practical expertise and respect for the sea.
Bridlington Bay exists to protect and promote this heritage, not as something from the past, but as a living industry supporting families and businesses today.
