The tradition was passed on from one generation to the next—specifically from father to son—but today, there are just under 450 gondoliers left in Venice.
"There's a generational change: people retire and need to be replaced," Andrea Balbi, the president of Venice's gondoliers' association, explained about the challenges facing the profession.
The diverging forces of rising tourism demand and fewer gondoliers to engage them create an urgent need for more professionals to uphold this Venetian tradition.
In response to the declining number of gondoliers, training has expanded to include women and EU citizens, though all must meet rigorous requirements.
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