Öuranin kalasatama (Fiskeläget på Öuran)

English translation (from the Finnish)

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Description

Öura fishing harbour is a base for fishing and catching fish that has been in use for centuries in the outer archipelago of the Gulf of Bothnia, and where the fishermen's cottages of the early 20th century together with their outbuildings have survived.

The long, narrow chain of islands running north to south, called Örarna, forms a natural breakwater in the outer archipelago of Luoto, facing the open sea. The natural conditions of the island consist of treeless stony areas, juniper thickets, cloudberry bogs and dense spruce forests in the highest places, as well as ice-age polished bedrock and sandy beaches.

Remains of temporary dwellings used by seal hunters and fishermen are known from the island. Structures and buildings characteristic of the island include jatulintarhat, kivikummelit and breakwaters.

At the southern tip of the islands there is a small fishing harbour and a group of about fifteen fishermen's cabins, which illustrates the centuries-old traditions of the fishing industry in the area. The built environment includes fishing cabins, sheds, shared ice cellars and smoking ovens, as well as a well. The oldest cabins date from the early 20th century, and most of them from the 1920s and 1930s. Between the shore and the ice cellars are remains of a haulage track, along which heavy fish crates were pulled from the jetty to the cellar.

Öura is also connected with the history of the jääkäri movement. On the island there is an old jääkärimaja along the stage route used by the jääkärit through Sweden to Germany. The jääkärimaja is about one kilometre north of the fishing harbour, among the Sanden sand dunes and juniper bushes.

History

Öuran emerged from the sea as a result of land uplift in the 8th century. The sparse archipelago area west of the main islands of Luoto, Larsmo and Eugmo never developed permanent settlement, but the islands were used as bases for seal hunting and fishing.

While seal hunting was carried on at Öuran, it also developed into an important fishing base. Fishing was an important secondary occupation for the inhabitants of Luoto. At first the main catch was Baltic herring, which was transported salted for sale to Sweden and later also to Russia. Salted salmon was also an important trade commodity. Later, whitefish was also caught.

The catch was taken to the old harbour of Pietarsaari to be sold at the market square. At first the journey of tens of kilometres was made by rowing; from the beginning of the 20th century, motor boats were used. Gradually, companies specialising in the fish trade were established.

As the outermost point of the Luoto archipelago, Öuran was important as a sheltered anchorage on the sea route to Pedersöre and Pietarsaari. Öuran also served as a transit point to Sweden during the turbulent times of the Great Wrath and the First World War. Timber rafts were towed past Öuran to the cellulose factory in Pietarsaari. Numerous wrecks in the vicinity of the island bear witness to the challenges and tragedies of the sea route.

The first fishing huts are known to have been built on the island of Öuran in the 16th century as seasonal dwellings for seal hunters and fishermen. The Isojako of the island group was carried out in 1815. At its peak in the mid-1920s, 24 boat crews fished at Öuran, but the number of fishermen declined from the 1930s onwards. Grazing on the island ended in the 1950s.