Vänö is an island with a long history. Already on the 14th century it is known that Vänö had a fishing population, with a village situated on the same spot as the village today. Selling of and trade with baltic herring has been an important part of life on Vänö, with fishermen travelling in to Salo with the fish, trading it in for grain and money. During the winters, seal hunting was an important way to get food and money from selling fat and product made out of the skin.