exported to distant inland populations. In the current province of Almeria, large
tunas and small tuna species were temporarily caught with traps (in Vera and Agua
Amarga) and with nets called “sedales” (with double the length of the “jábegas”).
Fishing was carried out mainly in Balerma and Roquetas (Sañez-Reguart 1791–
1795).
Throughout the nineteenth century, the province of Malaga and the northwestern
area near the Strait of Gibraltar still maintained the largest fishing catches followed
by Almeria, Roquetas and Adra. Around 1817, east of Marbella, bonitos were
captured from March to May by obstructing their movements with the “sedal”
fishing gear which was installed from offshore to the coastal waters (Burgos and
Lacomba 1993). From the beginning of the century, in the Strait, Ceuta had a fish
trap to catch small tunas. The trap was set during the summer-autumn months and in
the spring with workers from Alicante and Valencia capturing on several occasions
as many as 11,000 bonitos that were exported already salted (Madoz 1986a).
In 1814, the previously abundant anchovies and sardines were missing in Malaga.
Nevertheless, their production remained an important economic activity in the city
until 1824 when a sudden rise in salt prices for fishing purposes caused the decline of
the fishing sector (Miravent 1850). A similar situation occurred in Marbella during
1845–1846 because sardines and mackerels (Scomber scombrus) entering from the
Strait of Gibraltar, which in former times were abundant, decreased substantially
(Burgos 1994b).
Mellado (1845) reported that the greatest catches in the Alboran Sea were
apparently from the coasts of Estepona, Marbella, Salobreña, Antas, Bédar,
Carboneras and Vera. He highlights the coastal “salinas” (solar salterns) of Roquetas
(Almeria) and insists on the importance of the Malaga fishing fleet. According to
another contemporary description (Marzo 1851) about the fishing activity from
Nerja to Estepona, a greater fishing catch from locations near the Strait of Gibraltar
is reported. The waters of Manilva were famous for their sardine abundance.
Fishermen from Valencia and Alicante fished in the area from the beginning of the
century. Madoz (1986b) also reported on the fishing importance in localities in the
province of Malaga: Estepona, Marbella, Manilva and, especially, Fuengirola are
highlighted. By mid-century, the port of Algeciras became more important (fish of
all sorts were abundant and cheap, and in particular cases, sardines were salted).
Tarifa annually exported 453,600 kg of tuna, bonito, albacore (Thunnus alalunga),
mackerel, sardine and anchovy to Valencia (Madoz 1986a).
In the last decades, considerable changes were detected in the abundance and
spatial concentration of certain pelagic species on the coast of Malaga. In 1881,
sardine catches in Malaga (only with traditional techniques) accounted for 50% of
the whole Alboran Sea catches. The only salting factories in the Alboran Sea were in
Malaga: three factories and a production of 3,000,000 sardines which consumed
35,000 kg of salt (Lacomba 2006).
During the twentieth century, fishing research was intensified specially for
species of great commercial preference. In the year 1920, it included the first reliable
statistics on a national scale. The data from the Alboran Sea was detailed, including
the Spanish Moroccan Sea (Miranda 1923). The province of Malaga annually landed
23 A Historical Approach to Living Resources on the Spanish Coasts from the. . .
783
tunas and small tuna species were temporarily caught with traps (in Vera and Agua
Amarga) and with nets called “sedales” (with double the length of the “jábegas”).
Fishing was carried out mainly in Balerma and Roquetas (Sañez-Reguart 1791–
1795).
Throughout the nineteenth century, the province of Malaga and the northwestern
area near the Strait of Gibraltar still maintained the largest fishing catches followed
by Almeria, Roquetas and Adra. Around 1817, east of Marbella, bonitos were
captured from March to May by obstructing their movements with the “sedal”
fishing gear which was installed from offshore to the coastal waters (Burgos and
Lacomba 1993). From the beginning of the century, in the Strait, Ceuta had a fish
trap to catch small tunas. The trap was set during the summer-autumn months and in
the spring with workers from Alicante and Valencia capturing on several occasions
as many as 11,000 bonitos that were exported already salted (Madoz 1986a).
In 1814, the previously abundant anchovies and sardines were missing in Malaga.
Nevertheless, their production remained an important economic activity in the city
until 1824 when a sudden rise in salt prices for fishing purposes caused the decline of
the fishing sector (Miravent 1850). A similar situation occurred in Marbella during
1845–1846 because sardines and mackerels (Scomber scombrus) entering from the
Strait of Gibraltar, which in former times were abundant, decreased substantially
(Burgos 1994b).
Mellado (1845) reported that the greatest catches in the Alboran Sea were
apparently from the coasts of Estepona, Marbella, Salobreña, Antas, Bédar,
Carboneras and Vera. He highlights the coastal “salinas” (solar salterns) of Roquetas
(Almeria) and insists on the importance of the Malaga fishing fleet. According to
another contemporary description (Marzo 1851) about the fishing activity from
Nerja to Estepona, a greater fishing catch from locations near the Strait of Gibraltar
is reported. The waters of Manilva were famous for their sardine abundance.
Fishermen from Valencia and Alicante fished in the area from the beginning of the
century. Madoz (1986b) also reported on the fishing importance in localities in the
province of Malaga: Estepona, Marbella, Manilva and, especially, Fuengirola are
highlighted. By mid-century, the port of Algeciras became more important (fish of
all sorts were abundant and cheap, and in particular cases, sardines were salted).
Tarifa annually exported 453,600 kg of tuna, bonito, albacore (Thunnus alalunga),
mackerel, sardine and anchovy to Valencia (Madoz 1986a).
In the last decades, considerable changes were detected in the abundance and
spatial concentration of certain pelagic species on the coast of Malaga. In 1881,
sardine catches in Malaga (only with traditional techniques) accounted for 50% of
the whole Alboran Sea catches. The only salting factories in the Alboran Sea were in
Malaga: three factories and a production of 3,000,000 sardines which consumed
35,000 kg of salt (Lacomba 2006).
During the twentieth century, fishing research was intensified specially for
species of great commercial preference. In the year 1920, it included the first reliable
statistics on a national scale. The data from the Alboran Sea was detailed, including
the Spanish Moroccan Sea (Miranda 1923). The province of Malaga annually landed
23 A Historical Approach to Living Resources on the Spanish Coasts from the. . .
783