Historical evolution of the port of Lastres: from the commercial and fishing splendor of the 16th and 17th centuries to the current reconversion in the marina

Around the middle of the 16th century Lastres began to standout as one of the main ports in the region, due to the development of fishing, whaling and maritime trade. But the prosperity ended at the beginning of the 18th, when the great storm of 1734 destroyed the old harbour. From this time, although there were several unsuccessful attempts at reconstructing the port, the maritime trade disappeared and so did the good times. Since then, Lastres was exclusively devoted to the fishing and the canning industry. But nowadays, the crisis of these activities have forced some Asturian ports, Lastres included, to look for alternatives in the tertiary sector, reconverting part of their infrastructures as a yachting harbour.