catches in this province between 1831 and 1861 multiplied by 12, with 7056 tons
and 3415 sailors, compromising 43% of all Andalusia (the Alboran Sea as well as the
Gulf of Cadiz). This was caused by the maintenance of the prohibition of the “bou”
trawl fishing, and only minor artisanal fishing gear was allowed, thus employing a
larger number of vessels and their associated labour workforce (Fernández 1866).
The highest percentage was reached in 1883: in the Alboran Sea, 50% of the catches
(total species and sardine) and numbers of boats and fishermen were concentrated in
the province of Malaga. It was followed by the former maritime provinces of
Algeciras and Almeria, which accounted for 21% and 17%, respectively (Lacomba
2006). During 1888, the province of Malaga increased its dominance in the regional
fisheries again, which represented 56% of the ships (945 vessels) and gross register
tonnage (GTR) and 70% of the manpower (8963 fishermen) (García Solá 1888).
23.6 Summary and Concluding Remarks
From the earliest of times, the study area has been a meeting place for very different
civilizations and marine fauna, in both cases coming from distant European, African,
Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. This human confluence, with the exchange of
cultures, using their own fishing techniques, has been constant and enriching
throughout the centuries. The local marine resources have always been essential
for food and economic development of the inhabitants in the area. However, in the
cyclical periods of regional fishing crisis, the European-African fishing grounds of
the near Atlantic area have been the salvation of the fishing economy. Conversely, in
the periods of sardine crisis in the Spanish Atlantic waters, fishermen migrated to
different ports in the Algeciras-Malaga sector. This pattern has been repeated
throughout centuries with fishermen and their industries moving great distances in
order to overcome the fisheries crisis.
In the northern area of the Alboran Sea, African piracy was controlled in the
mid-eighteenth century. Since then, fishermen have faced other serious, local and
regional fishing crises. Independently, but cyclically, pelagic and seabed fishing was
affected. Pelagic fishing was characterized by boom and fall, with the temporary
absence of target species. Seabed fishing alternated between the years of prohibition
of the trawlers and those of authorization, with serial depletion of the fishing
grounds. In both fisheries, the causes of collapse were different (oceanographic
variability/overfishing) but had the same negative effect. In the independent cyclical
periods of fishing shortages, the majority of both fleets had to migrate to other coasts
with more abundant resources. Logically, this process was reflected in the economy:
impoverishment on the coasts of origin and enrichment in the new areas of exploitation and processing of the catches.
On the other hand, the advanced technical information collected in relation to the
ancient strategies to manage fisheries for sustainability since the fifteenth century is
impressive. Those societies were highly dependent on local resources and needed to
avoid resource collapse. Initially, the fishing legislation was dictated by municipal
790
J. Pérez-Rubín
and 3415 sailors, compromising 43% of all Andalusia (the Alboran Sea as well as the
Gulf of Cadiz). This was caused by the maintenance of the prohibition of the “bou”
trawl fishing, and only minor artisanal fishing gear was allowed, thus employing a
larger number of vessels and their associated labour workforce (Fernández 1866).
The highest percentage was reached in 1883: in the Alboran Sea, 50% of the catches
(total species and sardine) and numbers of boats and fishermen were concentrated in
the province of Malaga. It was followed by the former maritime provinces of
Algeciras and Almeria, which accounted for 21% and 17%, respectively (Lacomba
2006). During 1888, the province of Malaga increased its dominance in the regional
fisheries again, which represented 56% of the ships (945 vessels) and gross register
tonnage (GTR) and 70% of the manpower (8963 fishermen) (García Solá 1888).
23.6 Summary and Concluding Remarks
From the earliest of times, the study area has been a meeting place for very different
civilizations and marine fauna, in both cases coming from distant European, African,
Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. This human confluence, with the exchange of
cultures, using their own fishing techniques, has been constant and enriching
throughout the centuries. The local marine resources have always been essential
for food and economic development of the inhabitants in the area. However, in the
cyclical periods of regional fishing crisis, the European-African fishing grounds of
the near Atlantic area have been the salvation of the fishing economy. Conversely, in
the periods of sardine crisis in the Spanish Atlantic waters, fishermen migrated to
different ports in the Algeciras-Malaga sector. This pattern has been repeated
throughout centuries with fishermen and their industries moving great distances in
order to overcome the fisheries crisis.
In the northern area of the Alboran Sea, African piracy was controlled in the
mid-eighteenth century. Since then, fishermen have faced other serious, local and
regional fishing crises. Independently, but cyclically, pelagic and seabed fishing was
affected. Pelagic fishing was characterized by boom and fall, with the temporary
absence of target species. Seabed fishing alternated between the years of prohibition
of the trawlers and those of authorization, with serial depletion of the fishing
grounds. In both fisheries, the causes of collapse were different (oceanographic
variability/overfishing) but had the same negative effect. In the independent cyclical
periods of fishing shortages, the majority of both fleets had to migrate to other coasts
with more abundant resources. Logically, this process was reflected in the economy:
impoverishment on the coasts of origin and enrichment in the new areas of exploitation and processing of the catches.
On the other hand, the advanced technical information collected in relation to the
ancient strategies to manage fisheries for sustainability since the fifteenth century is
impressive. Those societies were highly dependent on local resources and needed to
avoid resource collapse. Initially, the fishing legislation was dictated by municipal
790
J. Pérez-Rubín