Add this one to intriguing trades and traditions you never heard of: Shrimp fishing on horseback.
While most of us have never had a clue it was even a thing, it’s been a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in Belgium’s Oostduinkerke since 2013, and two new fishermen have qualified to join the ranks of the 13 already practicing the trade. Both are locals with family connections to the tradition.
The work is done by dragging heavy nets through the surf at about chest height for the powerful and heavy working horses. When the nets begin to fill, the shrimpers return to shore to unload the catch, throw back other creatures caught along with the shrimp. The teams then return for another round.
For more detail, see this story in The Brussels Times, or watch the YouTube video below.
