From ancient times, the fishermen of Malaga have been associated to defend their
rights before the local authorities (Villas 1984; Burgos 1994a). On many occasions,
the “jábega” fishermen in the capital managed to get a limited number of Catalan
trawling pairs and the prohibition of pots, arguing that they made their beach seine
trawl difficult (Burgos 1996a). The claims of the fishermen with the support of
Malaga city council led to the final ban in 1783 for the three local pair trawlers
because it was considered that they destroyed the habitats of the adult fish and their
juveniles. In 1789, the fishermen kept the privilege of selling from their boats and on
the beaches, but if they decided to introduce their catch into the city of Malaga, they
would be subject to the police rules, and prices would also be imposed by the city
council (Burgos 1994a).
The conflicting situations of the bottom fisheries of Malaga resumed in 1814,
when the parliament granted the use of 7 trawl pairs with a reduced period of
temporary fishing closure (July and August). In autumn, 4 “parejas” were fishing
along the coast of Malaga. The local fishermen provided written documentation on
the negative consequences, such as a generalized scarcity of the local catches for the
remaining coastal vessels and the need to go fishing beyond 18 miles. The shortage
of fish provoked the ruin of some small boat owners and the alarming decrease of the
“jábega” catches (85% less) and the longliners and “espineles” (40% less on
average). The city council established an inspecting commission to check practical
experiences and the effects of bottom trawls on the spot. The commission’s vessel
approached the pair trawlers, examined the catches of each haul and wrote an
extensive report about it (Fernández 1866).
In the middle of the century, the Naval Ministry recognized the need to restore
and promote the national fishing industry. Thanks to the impulse of research in 1847,
reports from different ports in the province of Malaga are currently available (Burgos
1994b, 1996b). They include data on the species caught and an inventory of
fishermen and vessels during the period between 1842 and 1846.
Great advances were made between 1860 and 1870 in relation to fishing regulations and the protection of living resources (Pérez-Rubín 2006). In Madrid, the
Permanent Commission of Fisheries was created by the navy to assess the fishery
sector, which was represented by delegations from each part of the national coasts.
Time-space closures were established, and the number of vessels destined to fishing
was limited. The expansion of the national fisheries was supported by the establishment of fishing agreements between 1860 and 1866 with Morocco, Portugal and
Gibraltar. Three basic regulations on priority species were published in 1866:
ostreiculture (oyster farming), tuna traps and bottom trawling (beyond 12 miles off
the coastline). For the trawlers, in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea, an
absolute seasonal closure of 3.5 months (from June to September) was enacted
aiming to facilitate the reproduction of the species.
The “Freedom of Fishing Regulations” (1885) prohibited a total of 11 types of
destructive fishing gear. Unfortunately, the definitive authorization of the “new bou
industry” in 1890 caused the fall of traditional fisheries, provoking much civil unrest
(Lacomba 2006). Until then, in twelve coastal towns extending from Marbella to
Nerja, 7000 families subsisted on the exploitation of classical fishing gear
788
J. Pérez-Rubín
rights before the local authorities (Villas 1984; Burgos 1994a). On many occasions,
the “jábega” fishermen in the capital managed to get a limited number of Catalan
trawling pairs and the prohibition of pots, arguing that they made their beach seine
trawl difficult (Burgos 1996a). The claims of the fishermen with the support of
Malaga city council led to the final ban in 1783 for the three local pair trawlers
because it was considered that they destroyed the habitats of the adult fish and their
juveniles. In 1789, the fishermen kept the privilege of selling from their boats and on
the beaches, but if they decided to introduce their catch into the city of Malaga, they
would be subject to the police rules, and prices would also be imposed by the city
council (Burgos 1994a).
The conflicting situations of the bottom fisheries of Malaga resumed in 1814,
when the parliament granted the use of 7 trawl pairs with a reduced period of
temporary fishing closure (July and August). In autumn, 4 “parejas” were fishing
along the coast of Malaga. The local fishermen provided written documentation on
the negative consequences, such as a generalized scarcity of the local catches for the
remaining coastal vessels and the need to go fishing beyond 18 miles. The shortage
of fish provoked the ruin of some small boat owners and the alarming decrease of the
“jábega” catches (85% less) and the longliners and “espineles” (40% less on
average). The city council established an inspecting commission to check practical
experiences and the effects of bottom trawls on the spot. The commission’s vessel
approached the pair trawlers, examined the catches of each haul and wrote an
extensive report about it (Fernández 1866).
In the middle of the century, the Naval Ministry recognized the need to restore
and promote the national fishing industry. Thanks to the impulse of research in 1847,
reports from different ports in the province of Malaga are currently available (Burgos
1994b, 1996b). They include data on the species caught and an inventory of
fishermen and vessels during the period between 1842 and 1846.
Great advances were made between 1860 and 1870 in relation to fishing regulations and the protection of living resources (Pérez-Rubín 2006). In Madrid, the
Permanent Commission of Fisheries was created by the navy to assess the fishery
sector, which was represented by delegations from each part of the national coasts.
Time-space closures were established, and the number of vessels destined to fishing
was limited. The expansion of the national fisheries was supported by the establishment of fishing agreements between 1860 and 1866 with Morocco, Portugal and
Gibraltar. Three basic regulations on priority species were published in 1866:
ostreiculture (oyster farming), tuna traps and bottom trawling (beyond 12 miles off
the coastline). For the trawlers, in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea, an
absolute seasonal closure of 3.5 months (from June to September) was enacted
aiming to facilitate the reproduction of the species.
The “Freedom of Fishing Regulations” (1885) prohibited a total of 11 types of
destructive fishing gear. Unfortunately, the definitive authorization of the “new bou
industry” in 1890 caused the fall of traditional fisheries, provoking much civil unrest
(Lacomba 2006). Until then, in twelve coastal towns extending from Marbella to
Nerja, 7000 families subsisted on the exploitation of classical fishing gear
788
J. Pérez-Rubín