Spanish Fishing Fleet: Regions, Species, and Techniques
(Item 5.4) In general, the Spanish fishing fleet has an inadequate and aging structure, to which the problem of fisheries is added. First, national fish stocks are in decline due to massive withdrawals to meet market demand. The other, even more serious problem is the restrictions on international fisheries. The blow that the 200-mile law brought to the Spanish fleet forced it to negotiate bilateral agreements to reduce catches and create a number of joint ventures with third countries.
Currently, the fisheries policy is subject to the Spanish community, which is based on determining the number of vessels that can fish in its waters and the signing of bilateral agreements with third countries. Spain is authorized to maintain a fleet of 300 large ships and has limited the amount of its catch.
The Spanish coast is divided into the following fishing regions:
Atlantic Regions
This group is formed by the Cantabrian region (Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country, Cantabria, and Asturias), the northwestern region (Galicia), the Sudatlántica region (from Algeciras to the Portuguese border), and the Canary Islands. It is the area of greatest importance. Within them, the most important is the northwestern region, with Vigo and A Coruña as the main ports, having 85% of the fleet and 43% of the volume captured. In the area, there are also very important nurseries, particularly for mussels (99.5% of the national total).
- The main species landed are hake, whiting, mackerel, sardines, and cod. In A Coruña, 75% of the national total of cod is landed.
- The Cantabrian region represents about 12% of catches, though it is an area that has lost importance in recent years. The main ports are Ondarroa, Pasajes, San Sebastian, and Laredo. The main species caught are cod (the region was a pioneer in this kind), anchovy, horse mackerel, and albacore tuna.
- The Sudatlántica region, with 9% of the national total in terms of volume landed, is especially important in offshore fishing in Moroccan and Saharan banks, so it is an area currently in crisis because of the difficulty to renew the fisheries agreement with Morocco. The main ports are Algeciras, Cádiz, Huelva, and El Puerto de Santa Maria. The main species are tuna and bonito (deep-sea fishing), whiting, and anchovy.
- The Canary Islands are specialized in deep-sea fishing, accounting for 13% of the domestic volume, with the activity being located almost entirely in the port of Las Palmas. The most common species are sardines and octopus.
Mediterranean Regions
Taken together, they account for 13% of the total volume of the country. The region is divided into the Sudmediterránea (from Gibraltar to Cabo de Gata), Levante (Cabo de Gata to Cabo de la Nao), Tramontana (Cabo de la Nao to Cabo de Creus), and the Balearic Islands.
- From north to south, the main ports are Barcelona, Tarragona, Santa Pola, Torrevieja, Cartagena, and Almeria. In the islands, Palma has more than 70% of the activity.
- The main species are bogue, mackerel, octopus, and red mullet in the Tramontana; anchovy, horse mackerel, bogue, and octopus in the south Mediterranean; sardines in the Levant; and crustaceans in the Balearics.
In general, fishing in this area is lower than in the Atlantic due to natural constraints: higher average temperature, higher salinity, almost non-existent tides, and lower abundance of phytoplankton.
Types of Fleet
Spain has seen a decrease in the total number of fishing vessels in recent years. In the 1960s, it had grown enormously, but the small size of these boats made them uncompetitive against larger ones. The tough measures after the 200-mile law hindered their activities. Today, there are different types of fleets:
- High-altitude fleet: Vessels over 250 tons.
- High seas fleet: 100 to 250 tons.
- Inshore or coastal fleet: 20 to 100 tons.
- Family or artisanal fleet: Less than 20 tons.
The last two types operate in the zone up to 60 miles offshore; the other two operate on the high seas. Of the four types, the family fleet is the only one that has risen in recent years due to the high market price of the goods seized. The coastal, offshore, and high-altitude fleets have been badly harmed by the restrictive measures regarding the limits of territorial waters.
Fishing Techniques
The main surface systems are:
- Fencing: The fish are encircled by a net attached at both ends.
- Bait: Used to attract fish.
The main bottom systems are:
- Drag: Large nets towed along the seabed; a system very damaging to the environment.
- Traps: Implementation of a complex maze of nets that drive the fish into the “snowflake,” where they are captured.
Today, the most modern systems include the use of helicopters, satellites, and probes to locate fish stocks.