At the end of the 16th century a new fishing technique was introduced to L'Escala, which helped catch sardines and anchovies. The fishing boats, called sardinals, had lateen sails, and went out twice a day to fish using a technique called "drift netting". L’Escala was the town in the province of Girona with the highest number of boats who fished this way, with over one hundred fishing boats moored at the old port. Old nets from the sardinals, lane ropes, compasses, glass buoys, and other items explain the process.