東沙鎮(zhen)(zhen)距縣城高亭鎮(zhen)(zhen)9.73公里(li)。海(hai)(hai)上(shang)交通(tong)便捷(jie)。清康熙時,定(ding)海(hai)(hai)知縣繆燧詳請(qing)投立(li)山(shan)咀頭“泗州(zhou)堂航船”開往定(ding)海(hai)(hai)、寧(ning)波(bo)。民國初有(you)至定(ding)海(hai)(hai)、普陀、嵊泗及各(ge)小(xiao)島航船,抗日戰爭前后(hou)有(you)“慈北”、“寧(ning)象”、“東海(hai)(hai)”、“小(xiao)岱山(shan)”等(deng)20多艘客貨班輪(lun)(lun)航于定(ding)海(hai)(hai)、鎮(zhen)(zhen)海(hai)(hai)、寧(ning)波(bo)、溫(wen)州(zhou)、上(shang)海(hai)(hai)、江陰、鎮(zhen)(zhen)江等(deng)地。解放后(hou)水陸交通(tong)日益(yi)發(fa)展,運輸船隊(dui)北往青島、大連,南達廈門(men)、廣州(zhou)、深圳、海(hai)(hai)南島等(deng)口岸。陸上(shang)公路連接本島各(ge)鄉鎮(zhen)(zhen),車輛經輪(lun)(lun)渡可通(tong)往全國各(ge)地。
東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)建置可上溯到唐宋(song)(song)時期。隋以前無考(kao)。宋(song)(song)元(yuan)豐元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(1078),岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)為(wei)(wei)蓬(peng)萊(lai)鄉,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)屬之。元(yuan)沿宋(song)(song)制。明洪武二十年(nian)(nian)(1387)廢昌(chang)(chang)國縣(xian)(xian)(xian)為(wei)(wei)鄉,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)屬昌(chang)(chang)國鄉。清(qing)(qing)(qing)康熙二十七(qi)年(nian)(nian)(1688)建置定(ding)(ding)(ding)海縣(xian)(xian)(xian),鄉一(yi)下設(she)圖、岙,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)屬于(yu)蓬(peng)萊(lai)鄉念母涂(tu)岙。清(qing)(qing)(qing)道光二十一(yi)年(nian)(nian)(1841)鄉以下改(gai)為(wei)(wei)莊,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)屬于(yu)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)二莊。清(qing)(qing)(qing)光緒《定(ding)(ding)(ding)海廳志》始稱(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)角鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。清(qing)(qing)(qing)宣統二年(nian)(nian)(1910)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)建置為(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)屬岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。民國二十三年(nian)(nian)(1934)東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)始建置為(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1939年(nian)(nian)日寇侵(qin)入東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha),設(she)“自治會”,內稱(cheng)(cheng)“東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)特別(bie)市”。1949年(nian)(nian)建立(li)滃(weng)洲縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)列為(wei)(wei)甲(jia)級鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1950年(nian)(nian)5月岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)解放后(hou)隸(li)屬定(ding)(ding)(ding)海縣(xian)(xian)(xian)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)區,建立(li)建制鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1953年(nian)(nian)4月建立(li)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)為(wei)(wei)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)政府駐地(di),直(zhi)至1956年(nian)(nian)1月,稱(cheng)(cheng)直(zhi)屬鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1958年(nian)(nian)10月屬舟山(shan)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),改(gai)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)為(wei)(wei)東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)人民公社。1960年(nian)(nian)6月稱(cheng)(cheng)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)人民公社東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1961年(nian)(nian)10月岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)為(wei)(wei)區,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)又名為(wei)(wei)公社。1962年(nian)(nian)4月回(hui)復岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)復稱(cheng)(cheng)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)至今。
黨(dang)的(de)(de)(de)十一屆三中(zhong)全會以來,中(zhong)共東沙(sha)鎮(zhen)委、鎮(zhen)政(zheng)府堅持改革開放,發(fa)揮海島優勢,積(ji)極調整產業結構,使古(gu)鎮(zhen)東沙(sha)再次煥發(fa)出生(sheng)機和活(huo)力。2011年(nian)浙江省(sheng)舟(zhou)山群島新(xin)區(qu)成立以來,中(zhong)國唯(wei)一的(de)(de)(de)海島古(gu)漁(yu)鎮(zhen)——東沙(sha)古(gu)漁(yu)鎮(zhen)迎來嶄新(xin)的(de)(de)(de)發(fa)展機遇,以新(xin)的(de)(de)(de)姿態跨入了(le)新(xin)的(de)(de)(de)發(fa)展紀元(yuan)!