Spain’s Fishing Sector: Production, Regions, and Trade
The EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has aimed to reduce the number of vessels and fishing capacity, although implementation varies across member states. The CFP regulates production in EU waters, setting limits on both the species caught and the tonnage assigned to each country. Note: Irish waters, as well as those of Ceuta, Melilla, and the Canary Islands, have specific considerations outside the main EU waters definition for certain aspects.
EU Fisheries Agreements and Access
Access to EU waters for joining countries is negotiated. Fisheries agreements with non-EU countries typically fall into three categories:
- Bartering of goods.
- Granting fishing rights in exchange for trade concessions.
- Granting fishing rights in exchange for financial or technical assistance provided by the EU.
Spanish Fishing Production Performance
The performance of Spanish fishing production can be measured in two ways:
- The ratio between the weight of the catch and the labor utilized.
- The ratio between the value of the catch and its weight.
Regarding the catch/labor ratio, the yield in Spain is approximately 13 tons per fisherman per year. In terms of value versus weight, large-scale (altura) fisheries are particularly significant, representing 70% of the economic value and 66% of the fish landed.
Spanish Fish Catch by Region
Northwest Region (Galicia)
This is the most important fishing region, accounting for more than half of the national total catch. It also hosts almost all marine parks and hatcheries. Key species landed include:
- Hake
- Sardine
- Cod
- Squid
- Tuna
These species collectively represent over 50% of the nationwide catch. Major fishing ports include Vigo, La Coruña, Marín, and Vilagarcía de Arousa.
Canary Islands Region
The Canary Islands region ranks second in importance, although it has experienced a slight decline potentially linked to industrialization factors. The main fishing grounds for its fleet are off the coasts of the Sahara and West Africa.
Sardines are a major contribution, representing about a quarter of the national total. Landings occur primarily in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The port of Las Palmas is Spain’s second-largest by tonnage landed by Spanish fishermen and ranks among the top ports globally.
Cantabrian Region
The Cantabrian region is third. Catches have seen some decline, partly due to challenges facing the cod fleet, but it still contributes significantly. Tuna and anchovy are particularly important catches here. Major ports include Ondárroa, Bermeo, Santander, and San Sebastián.
South Atlantic Region (Andalusia – Atlantic)
The South Atlantic region ranks fourth. It has a notable weight-to-value ratio due to valuable crustaceans caught in the Gulf of Cádiz, often in waters around 300m deep. Its fleet also operates off the coasts of Senegal, Angola, and Namibia. A key port is Puerto de Santa María.
Mediterranean Regions
Coastal fishing dominates the Mediterranean regions; deep-sea (altura) fishing is practically non-existent here. Main species include:
- Crustaceans
- Sardines
- Whiting
- Mullet
Major ports are Barcelona, Tarragona, Castellón, Santa Pola, and Alicante.
Spanish Fish Imports and Exports
As one of the world’s largest fish consumers, Spain relies heavily on imports. Principal imported species include:
- Frozen squid
- Cod
- Hake
- Crustaceans
Spanish exports, primarily to other European countries, exceed imports mainly for species like tuna, sardines, herring, anchovies, and various preserved fish products. Overall, Spain has a significant trade deficit in the fishing sector.
Aquaculture in Spain
Aquaculture (fish farming) benefits from several favorable conditions in Spain:
- Strong technical expertise.
- Extensive experience in marketing seafood products.
- A long coastline offering diverse environments.
- Coastline diversity facilitating the farming of varied species.
- High quality of the species farmed.
- A generally mild climate.
Freshwater Aquaculture
Spain has approximately 2,000 freshwater aquaculture farms…