This was due to a new and more efficient fishing technology developed by Icelandic pioneers. Other countries were quick in claiming these advances for themselves. It was during these years that more and more herring began to be caught in waters east of Iceland. In 1965 catches from east Iceland even eclipsed those from the usually productive waters north of Iceland due to the detrimental effects of cold seas. Almost overnight the old herring towns and villages of east Iceland flourished to become the new powers in this now giant industry. But this new age of herring prosperity was short-lived. In 1969 the herring simply failed to show up. The responsibility for over-exploiting the once great Norwegian-Icelandic herring stock clearly lies with the then biggest herring fishing nations: Norway, Iceland and Russia. Iceland's herring towns, indeed the country's entire employment and economic sectors, suffered a severe blow with the disappearance of the herring. During the late 1960s, herring accounted for up to half of Iceland's export income, and was crucial in powering the country's dizzying economic growth. The great herring adventure was over. Siglufjörður, as many other herring towns around the country was left without its main industry – the collapse of the herring stock led Siglufjörður to an era of depression and regression, with salting stations, bunkhouses, piers and so on being left abandoned and without a role. In 1989 a group of local volunteers formed an association, with their goal as to renovate the old building Róaldsbrakki, preserve the history of Siglufjörður and its herring adventure. Many of those volunteers contributed significant amount of work to the rebuilding and development of Róaldsbrakki which took place between 1989 and 1996. The purpose of the museum is to tell the overall history of the herring industry in Iceland and also shed light on the important contribution of Siglufjörður to the growth and progress of Iceland in the 19th and 20th centuries. The renovating and building of the museum has been very costly, plus all the volunteer work. The project of putting up The Herring Era Museum has been supported by the Icelandic government, the local municipality (Siglufjörður – later Fjallabyggð), various funds, companies, societies and individuals. Museum buildings and exhibitions Today the museum consists of three main museum buildings; Róaldsbrakki, Grána and The Boathouse. Róaldsbrakki – the old Norwegian salting station from 1907 exhibits the history of the Herring adventure.