Fishing at San Pedro
THE FISHING sector plays a key role in the local economy of coastal towns in Alicante province and Murcia region.
It was one of the main sources of employment and income for many people before tourism and intensive farming took over and it still employs thousands of people.
The San Pedro del Pinatar fishermen’s guild is one of the largest in Murcia region. It was established more than 100 years ago and in the ‘good old days’ it had around 400 members. The number has now shrunk to around 130 and covers all fishing areas from San Pedro del Pinatar to Santiago de la Ribera, Los Alcázares and Los Nietos and Cabo de Palos near Cartagena.
The guild has several distinctive features. One is the fact that it covers two seas (Mar Menor and Mediterranean). Another is that members use traditional fishing methods which do not damage the environment and other species, as occurs with large-scale trawling. Moreover, their boats are not large and are supported by smaller boats, since some of the fishing paraphernalia is installed near the shore and in shallow areas.
The ‘pantasana’ fishing method is one of most popular, in which a net is used to surround a school of fish. When the fish enter the net, it gets narrower and the fish become trapped. The fishermen leave the harbour late in the evening and wait in silence in the Mar Menor until they hear fish jumping over the waves. These fish are usually mullet, who try to escape from predators such as sea bass. The fishermen never really know what kind of fish is under the boat – it could be a school of mullet, bass or gilt-head bream.
The ‘trasmallo’ method uses three layers of nets, which act as a sort of underwater wall and trap the fish between the layers.
The ‘paranza’ and ‘charamita’ method creates a labyrinth which is usually found in shallow areas and near the shore.
None of these traditional approaches damage the environment and fish do not have to be immediately killed as they have space to swim and feed.
This means that their flavour is different – not just because of the higher salt levels of the Mar Menor – but also because they don’t suffer and become stressed.
The Mar Menor is an incredibly rich natural fish producer. The main species are red mullet, mullet, sea bass, gilthead bream, sole, langoustine, crab and eels and they are appreciated in the markets for their unique flavour. In the Mediterranean Sea the fishermen also catch octopus.
The fish are taken directly to the fish market (lonja) at Lo Pagán, where it is auctioned during the morning. The auctioneer establishes a top price, which is usually over the market price, and the bidders make their offers. The fish are not sold to individuals. They go to fishmongers and restaurant owners and all the catch is always in demand.
If the final price is too low in an auction, the fish is not sold but donated to local soup kitchens and charities. This decision was made a few years ago, when the fishermen decided they would rather donate it than help bidders to profit from their work. Eels are the only species which is sold in a completely different way. The eel fishing season starts at the end of the summer and the gilthead bream season comes in November.
After finishing at the auction house, the fishermen have to spread, dry and mend their nets. Most damage is caused by blue crabs and tourist craft.
Fishing is a hard life but the economic crisis breathed life into the profession as young people have started to swell the ranks of the guild again. They are learning the job and some have bought their own boats. This means that generational replacement is guaranteed.