On the coast of the current province of Almeria, the fishing village of Balerma
was founded and became the most important fishing ground in the area thanks to the
protection offered by its fortress against the attack of pirates (García Luján 2002).
For centuries, the greatest source of suffering and mortality for the different
populations living on the coast of Andalusia was the continuous pirate and corsair
attacks from the north of Africa. They stole the boats and kidnapped the fishermen in
order to request a ransom for their freedom. This triggered the depopulation of the
coastal zone and the abandonment of fishing and agriculture (Martínez González
1997). On the Almeria coast, given its greater proximity to the Algerian and Tunisian
coasts, Berber incursions didn’t end until the eighteenth century (Sánchez Picón
1999).
Due to the commercial importance of sharks, they were sold either fresh or
air-dried. The first mention about shark fisheries in the Alboran Sea was in the
municipal ordinances of Malaga during the period 1489–1501, in relation to the net
fisheries. In these ordinances, 10 different species were named, and up to 5 different
types of fishing were authorized. Concerning hook fisheries aimed at sharks, the first
information comes from the southeastern Alboran Sea in the sixteenth century,
where Spanish ordinances (1536–1540) mentioned 4 species of elasmobranch fish
that were consumed dried (López Beltrán 1984). In the year 1611 in the municipal
ordinance of Malaga, the only shark species named is the “cazón” (Galeorhinus
galeus), although apparently this term is used as a generic name. In 1789, up to
40 species of elasmobranch are mentioned in Malaga (Martínez-González 1993).
During the eighteenth century, the “cazonales” bottom nets were used from Cabo de
Gata (Almeria) to Malaga, generally from April to the beginning of July (SáñezReguart 1791–1795). In addition, a decrease in shark catch was observed due to the
proliferation of bottom trawl nets. In earlier times, in certain areas, a single vessel
could catch on average of around 1700 kg with nets. Using hook handline (“cordel”),
it was common to port 10–12 dozen sharks in less than 24 h (Sáñez-Reguart 1791–
1795).
23.4.1 The Pelagic Habitat
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, fishing was abundant and varied. In the
municipal ordinances of Malaga city council, January 1501, some 30 main species of
fish of commercial interest in the area (Mondéjar 2001; Malpica 2009), including
8 cartilaginous species, are mentioned. In a document from Malaga in 1502, 31 fish
drying facilities (“percheles”) were registered. Foreign trade in the Andalusian
Mediterranean was concentrated mainly in the port of Malaga and smaller ones in
Marbella, Velez-Malaga, Almuñecar and Almeria. A decade later, in 1512, the entire
coastline of the Kingdom of Granada was considered a favourable area for fishing
and processing anchovy (Ruiz Povedano 1987).
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, on the coast of Almeria, there was
a fishing activity developed with varied techniques, such as pots, gillnets, beach
23 A Historical Approach to Living Resources on the Spanish Coasts from the. . .
781
was founded and became the most important fishing ground in the area thanks to the
protection offered by its fortress against the attack of pirates (García Luján 2002).
For centuries, the greatest source of suffering and mortality for the different
populations living on the coast of Andalusia was the continuous pirate and corsair
attacks from the north of Africa. They stole the boats and kidnapped the fishermen in
order to request a ransom for their freedom. This triggered the depopulation of the
coastal zone and the abandonment of fishing and agriculture (Martínez González
1997). On the Almeria coast, given its greater proximity to the Algerian and Tunisian
coasts, Berber incursions didn’t end until the eighteenth century (Sánchez Picón
1999).
Due to the commercial importance of sharks, they were sold either fresh or
air-dried. The first mention about shark fisheries in the Alboran Sea was in the
municipal ordinances of Malaga during the period 1489–1501, in relation to the net
fisheries. In these ordinances, 10 different species were named, and up to 5 different
types of fishing were authorized. Concerning hook fisheries aimed at sharks, the first
information comes from the southeastern Alboran Sea in the sixteenth century,
where Spanish ordinances (1536–1540) mentioned 4 species of elasmobranch fish
that were consumed dried (López Beltrán 1984). In the year 1611 in the municipal
ordinance of Malaga, the only shark species named is the “cazón” (Galeorhinus
galeus), although apparently this term is used as a generic name. In 1789, up to
40 species of elasmobranch are mentioned in Malaga (Martínez-González 1993).
During the eighteenth century, the “cazonales” bottom nets were used from Cabo de
Gata (Almeria) to Malaga, generally from April to the beginning of July (SáñezReguart 1791–1795). In addition, a decrease in shark catch was observed due to the
proliferation of bottom trawl nets. In earlier times, in certain areas, a single vessel
could catch on average of around 1700 kg with nets. Using hook handline (“cordel”),
it was common to port 10–12 dozen sharks in less than 24 h (Sáñez-Reguart 1791–
1795).
23.4.1 The Pelagic Habitat
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, fishing was abundant and varied. In the
municipal ordinances of Malaga city council, January 1501, some 30 main species of
fish of commercial interest in the area (Mondéjar 2001; Malpica 2009), including
8 cartilaginous species, are mentioned. In a document from Malaga in 1502, 31 fish
drying facilities (“percheles”) were registered. Foreign trade in the Andalusian
Mediterranean was concentrated mainly in the port of Malaga and smaller ones in
Marbella, Velez-Malaga, Almuñecar and Almeria. A decade later, in 1512, the entire
coastline of the Kingdom of Granada was considered a favourable area for fishing
and processing anchovy (Ruiz Povedano 1987).
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, on the coast of Almeria, there was
a fishing activity developed with varied techniques, such as pots, gillnets, beach
23 A Historical Approach to Living Resources on the Spanish Coasts from the. . .
781