The Fish Canning Industry Peaks

1900

By the turn of the twentieth century, fish canning had become the Algarve's dominant industry. Factories in Portimao, Lagos, Olhao, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, and other coastal towns processed sardines, tuna, and anchovies for export across Europe and beyond. Portimao alone had dozens of canning factories at the industry's height, and the smell of cooking sardines was inescapable in the town. The industry employed thousands, primarily women on the factory floors and men in the fishing fleet. Whole communities were built around the canneries, and the economic rhythm of the coastal towns was dictated by the sardine season. Portuguese canned fish became internationally recognised for its quality. The industry declined from the mid-twentieth century due to overfishing, changing markets, and competition, though a smaller artisanal canning sector survives and has experienced a renaissance in recent years as vintage Portuguese tinned fish has become fashionable.