Ijmuiden/Velsen, a joint conglomeration,has many diverse and surprising faces. The harbours, the vast and yet stillrelatively quiet beaches, the nature reserves, and the cultural richesmake for a unique recipe. The Ijmuiden harbour is Holland's oldestand most important supply harbour of fish. Originally the fishermen mooredtheir boats on the Sluisplein quay in front of the Southern Lock, but asthis started to clog up the entrance to the canal, a special harbour wasdug for the fishing fleet in 1888, soon to be followed by another harboursolely for the herring fisheries.