Celebrating the Easter fish tradition

13 Apr 2017

For many of us, Easter seems like a natural time to enjoy some salmon or other kinds of fish. Like many of our traditions, this originates in the Church when Good Friday - a black day in the Church calendar – was so also decreed a day of fasting.

In the church all Fridays were intended as days for fasting from red meat and of course Good Friday had extra significance in this respect.  Whilst eating red meat was frowned upon it was permissible to eat ‘cold’ foods of which fish is a prime example.  Even though many of us are no longer religious, the tradition carries on in the way we plan our Easter menus!

Given the high demand for fish at Easter, Maundy Thursday – the day of the Last Supper – was also a key day for Grimsby fishermen as demand for their catches was much higher!  And in the port, another tradition was that the owners of Grimsby fish companies - satisfied after a successful Maundy Thursday -- would generously gift a parcel of fish to their employees, providing a vital family meal for the Easter holiday.