more than 90% of the total fish catches, and sardine represented nearly 92% (14.3
tons). The local fishing fleet was diversified in multiple modalities and with different
types of hooks, gears and nets: longliners, trawlers (with sail and steamboats), large
“jábegas” (with as many as 20 oarsmen), fixed gillnets (“trasmallos”) and drifting
(“sardinales”).
On the other hand, the abundance of large cetaceans in the Strait of Gibraltar and
adjacent waters boosted the settlement of Spanish whaling factories from the beginning of the twentieth century. According to Aguilar (2013) in the Strait area, with
plenty of sharks in the nineteenth century, big shoals of sperm whales (Physeter
macrocephalus) were discovered. Following this evidence, North American whaling
vessels reached the region and hunted whales between 1 and 4 months during the
April to September season. In the 1920s, sperm whales were rare, the common whale
(Balaenoptera physalus) being the most frequent species; that is why some years
later more than 700 individuals were caught on the Spanish coasts. Norwegian
businessmen maintained the Getares factory (near Algeciras) from 1921 to 1926.
During its lifetime, 3610 whales and 352 sperm whales were processed. A new
modern factory, which processed 356 whales and 347 sperm whales, was established
in the Bay of Benzu (Ceuta) from 1947 to 1954. A businessman from Malaga
relaunched the Getares whaling factory in 1950 with less total results during its
10 years of functioning (291 whales and 372 sperm whales). The history of whaling
factories in northern Morocco during the 1929–1955 period has been reviewed by
other authors (Serrais and Domínguez 2015).
23.4.2 Benthos and Demersal Fish Habitats
In the eighteenth century, in the whole northern area of the Alboran Sea, a variety of
deep fishing techniques with hooks were used. Small Catalan longliners (manned by
5–6 sailors) would reach these waters every year from winter to the middle of Lent.
They used to operate 23 miles away from the coast with several lines containing
hundreds of hooks. Specific hooks existed for bottom fish (both benthic and demersal) which were used to catch conger (Conger conger), hake (Merluccius
merluccius), sparids, groupers, sharks and rays (Sáñez-Reguart 1791–1795). Large
catches of sharks were also obtained with specific nets (“cazonales”), mainly in the
season April to June. Mule drivers (“arrieros”) went particularly to Almeria to buy
sharks and took them to the people in the mountains, where they were specifically
consumed (Sañez-Reguart 1791–1795).
In the rich waters of the Strait where the currents are stronger, large vessels were
needed (manned by 8–12 men). The most used gears of hooks in deep waters were
the so-called “cordel” (handline), which could submerge even up to 365 m in depth
to capture adult specimens of a variety of species (Sáñez-Reguart 1791–1795).
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the province of Malaga was the
firmest defender of maintaining the most artisanal fishing gear types and untirelessly
fought with the new “parejas de bou” of sailing vessels (bottom pair trawl) (Burgos
784
J. Pérez-Rubín
tons). The local fishing fleet was diversified in multiple modalities and with different
types of hooks, gears and nets: longliners, trawlers (with sail and steamboats), large
“jábegas” (with as many as 20 oarsmen), fixed gillnets (“trasmallos”) and drifting
(“sardinales”).
On the other hand, the abundance of large cetaceans in the Strait of Gibraltar and
adjacent waters boosted the settlement of Spanish whaling factories from the beginning of the twentieth century. According to Aguilar (2013) in the Strait area, with
plenty of sharks in the nineteenth century, big shoals of sperm whales (Physeter
macrocephalus) were discovered. Following this evidence, North American whaling
vessels reached the region and hunted whales between 1 and 4 months during the
April to September season. In the 1920s, sperm whales were rare, the common whale
(Balaenoptera physalus) being the most frequent species; that is why some years
later more than 700 individuals were caught on the Spanish coasts. Norwegian
businessmen maintained the Getares factory (near Algeciras) from 1921 to 1926.
During its lifetime, 3610 whales and 352 sperm whales were processed. A new
modern factory, which processed 356 whales and 347 sperm whales, was established
in the Bay of Benzu (Ceuta) from 1947 to 1954. A businessman from Malaga
relaunched the Getares whaling factory in 1950 with less total results during its
10 years of functioning (291 whales and 372 sperm whales). The history of whaling
factories in northern Morocco during the 1929–1955 period has been reviewed by
other authors (Serrais and Domínguez 2015).
23.4.2 Benthos and Demersal Fish Habitats
In the eighteenth century, in the whole northern area of the Alboran Sea, a variety of
deep fishing techniques with hooks were used. Small Catalan longliners (manned by
5–6 sailors) would reach these waters every year from winter to the middle of Lent.
They used to operate 23 miles away from the coast with several lines containing
hundreds of hooks. Specific hooks existed for bottom fish (both benthic and demersal) which were used to catch conger (Conger conger), hake (Merluccius
merluccius), sparids, groupers, sharks and rays (Sáñez-Reguart 1791–1795). Large
catches of sharks were also obtained with specific nets (“cazonales”), mainly in the
season April to June. Mule drivers (“arrieros”) went particularly to Almeria to buy
sharks and took them to the people in the mountains, where they were specifically
consumed (Sañez-Reguart 1791–1795).
In the rich waters of the Strait where the currents are stronger, large vessels were
needed (manned by 8–12 men). The most used gears of hooks in deep waters were
the so-called “cordel” (handline), which could submerge even up to 365 m in depth
to capture adult specimens of a variety of species (Sáñez-Reguart 1791–1795).
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the province of Malaga was the
firmest defender of maintaining the most artisanal fishing gear types and untirelessly
fought with the new “parejas de bou” of sailing vessels (bottom pair trawl) (Burgos
784
J. Pérez-Rubín