Tourist fishing in the North of the Venetian Lagoon

A slow and sustainable way of travelling, rediscovering the most striking locations of the Venetian lagoon and the ancient local cultural traditions

Going out on a boat together with the fishermen, listening to their tales, observing them while they throw their nets and when they divide their catch: this is what tourist fishing is all about: boarding the trawlers and turning into an expert fisherman for a day.

It’s a different and unusual experience, ideal for whoever dreams of experiencing Venice and its lagoon like those who know it best – the fishermen – delving for a day into the life of the people who have always lived and worked in the lagoon.

Tourist fishing – together with fish tourism – is without doubt the most authentic way to love and learn the culture of the lagoon, of the sea and of fishing, to discover hands-on this fascinating and ancient profession, that has evolved in time; an excellent way of spending a day outdoors, having a great time and eating excellent fresh fish, cooked according to the best recipes of Venetian tradition.

Onboard a traditional fishing boat everybody can learn from the ancient heritage of seafaring jobs and traditions, and at the same time this is an occasion for the local fishing community to integrate its income.
 

The island of Burano, the heart of the largest community of local fishermen

Burano’s fishermen are the protagonists of the initiative Tourist fishing in the north of the Venetian lagoon: an open air museum, a project that was developed to promote an alternative form of tourism, aimed not only at discovering the beauty and the extraordinary resources of the sea, but also to teach people how to experience with respect the nature that surrounds the city of Venice.
Traditional fishing, both in the sea and in the lagoon, is still practised by Venice’s fishermen community. The fishermen are the real guardians of a millenary tradition, they have a deep knowledge of the wetlands, that must be safeguarded to guarantee the economic survival of the fishermen themselves, who are responsible for the protection of the fishing areas’ delicate environment.

You can choose between two different tourist fishing itineraries, one by sea to discover the "tegnùe" (shallow water areas) along the coast of Lido di Venezia and visit the mussel farms along the Cavallino Treporti shoreline, and one in the lagoon, in the areas of Mazzorbo and Torcello, where the Novellame (juvenile fish) and the Moeche (soft-shell crabs) are fished and in the Palude del Monte area, where you can see the clam farms and all the lagoon birdlife.

Tourist fishing activities in the Northern Lagoon are based on direct experience and on sharing the precious knowledge and skills of the fishermen, but that’s not all; in fact shortly new services will be available for tourists: ecomuseums, accommodation facilities, guided routes for discovering the specific characteristics of the lagoon territory.

A tablet for discovering the Northern lagoon: iLagoon

iLagoon is an application for tablets that will guide you round what is to all extents a real open air museum of lagoon and sea fishing.
During your tourist fishing trip you can rely on an interactive guide, in four different languages, equipped with a touch screen that can reproduce videos, sound, images and texts.
The guide allows you simple and intuitive access to multimedia content associated with the items you wish to find out more about. Thanks to the incorporated GPS system, that recognises the location you are in, the information and in-depth data appear directly on the guide's screen when you are close to each point of interest.

iLagoon is an irreplaceable tool that will accompany you during your voyage of discovery in a land rich in traditions and culture.