ARTISANAL FISHING IN THE CANARIES

The sea, a boat, a fisherman and a hook are the basic elements of the unhurried and environment-friendly artisanal fishing practised in the Canary Islands. The fleet comprises around 600 fibre or wooden boats with an average length of nine metres. Fishing tends to take place close to the shore, with catches reaching the fish market, fish shops and restaurants within hours. Freshness is guaranteed.

The Canarian fishing fleet is multifaceted. Each boat uses a range of techniques and gear and concentrates on different species according to availability and season. Creels, longline, rigs, fish net buckets, jigs, traíña and cazonal nets, and poles are all used to catch a wide variety of species such as sticklebacks, parrot fish, shrimps, moray eels, octopus, red porgy, conger eels, horse mackerel… up to three hundred species. Variety is the order of the day.

Special mention should be made of tuna, which is caught individually using a rod rather than by net. The various species of tuna that pass close to our shores on their migration routes include bigeye (Thunnus obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), Atlantic bluefin (Thunnus thynnus) and albacore (Thunnus alalunga), some of which are subject to very restrictive catch quotas. Tuna is vital to the local fisheries sector: around 5000 tonnes are caught annually, with most exported. One of the biggest challenges is to process and market catches locally, which could be a major source of employment and food sovereignty.

To help maintain the sector, the first thing is to get to know it better, learn to differentiate between local and non-local fish, and support the sustainability of a form of fishing that is selective and low impact, while providing the quality and freshness that come with local products.

Support for local artisanal fishing is one of the aims of Fisheries Local Action Groups, non-profit associations that bring together stakeholders linked to the coast and coastal activities, with the fisheries and aquaculture sector particularly important. Fisheries Local Action Groups work with the Canarian government to manage Axis 4 (local participatory development), of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund.

For more information, visit www.accioncosteracanarias.com and #accioncosteracanarias networks.

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