The settlement started with Vasco Moniz. He left his oldest son the entail of Caniçal, on September 5, 1489.
Caniçal, much like Câmara de Lobos and Machico, is a well known fishing village.
In the past, the parish was known for whaling, where it even had a factory. Without hiding its past, it keeps traces of that activity in a museum that is well worth visiting. Museu da Baleia (whale museum) is located at Largo Manuel Alves, in the centre of Caniçal.
The parish, today, has about five thousand inhabitants.