Editing Kristiansund Municipality (section)

===17th to 18th century===
During the 17th century, a small settlement developed around the area we know today as Kristiansund harbour. As more and more settlers arrived, the area became an important trading port for fishing and the lumber transportation along the coast. The Dano-Norwegian government established a customs station here, which was controlled by the main trading port in [[Trondheim (city)|Trondheim]]. In 1631, the port was declared to be a [[ladested]].
  
Dutch sailors brought the knowledge of [[clipfish]] production to Kristiansund at the end of the 17th century, and for a number of years the town was the largest exporter of clipfish in Norway, exporting goods mainly to the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] countries as Spain and Portugal. The city's clipfish production was also part of the reason why it was given town status as a [[kjøpstad]] in 1742.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}