SEAFARING DISTRICT. Fishing activity, nowadays

About this heritage

The fisheries sector is subject to changes due to international regulation, technological changes, consumption patterns, and the situation of natural resources. The fishing activity in Baiona is of relative importance, especially for the coastal counties. It represents 12.82% of the active population of the town hall, making it part of Baiona villager's day-to-day life, who devote themselves to this art.

The fishing fleet based in the port of Baiona consists of about 70 vessels, including an auxiliary one (data from the Register of Fishing Vessels of Galicia, 2019) with lengths ranging from 3.85 meters of the smallest artisanal vessels to more than 14.30 meters of the largest. Moreover, shellfishing on foot workers are members of the group of fishermen since they are also users of the port.

Most of the fleet is made up of small tonnage boats for the Minor Arts, gillnets, fishing hooks, and artisanal fishing creels (nasas). To a lesser extent, it is also represented by an auxiliary service vessel intended exclusively to help the main recreational craft it serves and another dedicated to longline gear in international fisheries.

The species with the highest catch volume are the sea urchin, barnacle, and cockle; in recent years, the extraction of species such as the queen scallop (zamburiña) and the sea urchin is growing considerably. It is worth mentioning the collection of traditional algae for fieldwork fertilization although currently, used for consumption.

To learn more

The artisanal coastal activity and shellfishing face the exhaustion of resources and the loss of productive zones caused by pollution, as happened in the Foz of O Miñor at the mouth of the Miñor River that had to close shellfishing activities.

Also, the construction of dams and port structures affect currents and the deposit of marine sand, changing the seabed and affecting the environment.

This is a sector with marketing problems, with a strong difference between the price of origin and the final price for the consumer, and therefore, low acceptance of added value by the extractive sector.

New competitors and products from different areas further undermine the control for this marketing chain. Moreover, there are the consumption habits of specific segments of the population.

Another commercial activity of this port is the local passenger traffic on tourist routes, mainly to the Cíes Islands, estuary rides, or mussel routes that have their departure port in front of the harbor station.

Baiona is a port with a great tradition in water sports, as evidenced by the large fleet of vessels, estimated at 1,800 boats.

The complementary activities are those carried out for the correct maintenance of the boats, such as workshops or naval effects, and for the preparation, sales, promotion, and distribution of fishing, like the fish market, traditional food market, fish shops, or supermarkets. Generating as a whole an added value that exceeds the value of the quantity fish landed.

To know it better

Baiona is a county in the province of Pontevedra, which is located to the south of the South Estuaries (Rías Baixas). Its location is unbeatable for the development of activities related to the sea, such as fishing, shellfishing, and water sports.

This town stands out for being a seafaring district for many years. After all, Baiona was the first port in Europe to receive news of the discovery of America, and in 1493, the Pinta caravel, captained by Martin Alonso Pinzón, docked in its waters.

Besides its historical importance, another of the most outstanding places in this town hall is its fish market -in Galician, Lonxa- located at its fishing port entrance. This space is the neuralgic center of the commercial activity related to the sea sector since it is there, where professionals make the first sale of their products. Therefore, the fish market also becomes a meeting point for traders.