252
K. Frangoudes et al.
Due to the dif fi culty of eradicating poaching, it is an important concern for both
shell fi sh gatherers and the fi sheries administration, and still dominates debate at
local and regional levels; the fact of the matter is that anyone can gather shell fi sh.
Decree 419/1993, which instituted the rules for selling fresh seafood, aimed to put
an end to illegal harvesting. As a result, fi shmongers are obliged to buy shell fi sh at
auction, which must then accompanied by an invoice issued by the cofradía managing
the sale.
During the training courses, women learned that they could improve the capacity
of shell fi sh beds by restocking overexploited areas. Restocking shell fi sh beds or the
extensive aquaculture of clams is an activity requiring strong collective organization
between women within the community. For Marugán-Pintos, the development of
extensive aquaculture contributed to enhancing women’s organizations and empowerment. Extensive aquaculture requires well-organized collective work: when the
clam seed arrives, farming zones must be ready, and the seed needs to be stocked into
bags and brought to the shore. Throughout the year, women monitor seed growth,
remove dead clams, clean the bags, and, fi nally, seed them on the shore (Marugán
Pintos 2004 ) . Semi-cultivation and extensive shell fi sh farming reinforce women’s
organizations, because members combine efforts to ensure all tasks are covered.
Women work alongside biologists to de fi ne and tend to areas of the shore allocated
to shell fi sh farming.
These developments have increased the mariscadoras’ income. In 1996, women
earned an average of 1,174 euro per year, while in 2000, average income reached
3,285.50 euro (Marugán Pintos 2004 ) . The mariscadoras’ earnings are a complementary source of income for their households; their income does not, however,
give them complete fi nancial independence. In 2000, the minimum legal wage in
Spain was 424.80 euro per month
10 (40 h week). Although the fi gure earned by the
mariscadoras was far lower, they harvested fewer than 15 days a month and for only
3 h a day, rendering their activity comparatively pro fi table on an hourly basis.
The downside of the new organizational model is the reduction in the number of
mariscadoras. The exact number of women initially involved in the fi shery’s activity is unknown; numbers differ according to the consulted source. “Just before 1987,
the number of people engaged in shell fi shing was about 26,000. The fi rst published
statistics of the Consellería cited 14,520 in 1989–1990, and 16,355 in 1990–1991
with more complete data” (Frangoudes et al. 2008b , 225). After the 1993 regulation
that established the license system ( permex ), the number of women fell to 7,852 in
1997. This number decreased further in 2000, because the “renewal of the permex
required working at least 70% of authorized days, certi fi cates of having paid social
security of the sea and sales data” (Frangoudes et al. 2008b , 225). In 2003, only
5,693 mariscadoras held permits and in 2005, that number was further reduced to
5,490. This process has, however, led to disagreements related to the management
10 See http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1999/12/31/pdfs/A46461-46462.pdf . The minimum wage in
Spain for 2011 is 641,40 euro, see http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/12/31/pdfs/BOE-A-201020150.pdf
K. Frangoudes et al.
Due to the dif fi culty of eradicating poaching, it is an important concern for both
shell fi sh gatherers and the fi sheries administration, and still dominates debate at
local and regional levels; the fact of the matter is that anyone can gather shell fi sh.
Decree 419/1993, which instituted the rules for selling fresh seafood, aimed to put
an end to illegal harvesting. As a result, fi shmongers are obliged to buy shell fi sh at
auction, which must then accompanied by an invoice issued by the cofradía managing
the sale.
During the training courses, women learned that they could improve the capacity
of shell fi sh beds by restocking overexploited areas. Restocking shell fi sh beds or the
extensive aquaculture of clams is an activity requiring strong collective organization
between women within the community. For Marugán-Pintos, the development of
extensive aquaculture contributed to enhancing women’s organizations and empowerment. Extensive aquaculture requires well-organized collective work: when the
clam seed arrives, farming zones must be ready, and the seed needs to be stocked into
bags and brought to the shore. Throughout the year, women monitor seed growth,
remove dead clams, clean the bags, and, fi nally, seed them on the shore (Marugán
Pintos 2004 ) . Semi-cultivation and extensive shell fi sh farming reinforce women’s
organizations, because members combine efforts to ensure all tasks are covered.
Women work alongside biologists to de fi ne and tend to areas of the shore allocated
to shell fi sh farming.
These developments have increased the mariscadoras’ income. In 1996, women
earned an average of 1,174 euro per year, while in 2000, average income reached
3,285.50 euro (Marugán Pintos 2004 ) . The mariscadoras’ earnings are a complementary source of income for their households; their income does not, however,
give them complete fi nancial independence. In 2000, the minimum legal wage in
Spain was 424.80 euro per month
10 (40 h week). Although the fi gure earned by the
mariscadoras was far lower, they harvested fewer than 15 days a month and for only
3 h a day, rendering their activity comparatively pro fi table on an hourly basis.
The downside of the new organizational model is the reduction in the number of
mariscadoras. The exact number of women initially involved in the fi shery’s activity is unknown; numbers differ according to the consulted source. “Just before 1987,
the number of people engaged in shell fi shing was about 26,000. The fi rst published
statistics of the Consellería cited 14,520 in 1989–1990, and 16,355 in 1990–1991
with more complete data” (Frangoudes et al. 2008b , 225). After the 1993 regulation
that established the license system ( permex ), the number of women fell to 7,852 in
1997. This number decreased further in 2000, because the “renewal of the permex
required working at least 70% of authorized days, certi fi cates of having paid social
security of the sea and sales data” (Frangoudes et al. 2008b , 225). In 2003, only
5,693 mariscadoras held permits and in 2005, that number was further reduced to
5,490. This process has, however, led to disagreements related to the management
10 See http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1999/12/31/pdfs/A46461-46462.pdf . The minimum wage in
Spain for 2011 is 641,40 euro, see http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/12/31/pdfs/BOE-A-201020150.pdf