Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
THE ALMADRABA tuna fishing campaign officially got underway on Monday, with the first Atlantic bluefin tuna being hoisted onto the decks of the fishing trawlers off the coast of Barbate in Cádiz province.
Fishermen working for Petaca Chico, the company that operates the largest of the four remaining almadrabas in Cádiz, successfully hauled in around 80 Atlantic bluefin tuna during the opening catch.
They used an ancient, sustainable technique dating back more than 3,000 years to lure the powerful fish to a complex maze-like net before speargun-wielding divers entered the water and delivered a quick, humane shot at each specimen.
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Some of the tuna that were caught in this first haul weighed more than 400 kilograms. Once the fish was caught, it was transported quickly to shore for processing and fresh sale.
But tuna season brings back a less than welcome guest to the Strait of Gibraltar.
These intelligent marine predators are known to follow the migratory path of the Atlantic bluefin tuna and ‘attack’ small boats.
Just last week, another orca encounter occurred off the coast of Tarifa, where an Italian sailing vessel was ‘attacked’ by a pod of orcas.
The orcas ‘play’ with small boats, aiming for the rudders with their heads in their aquatic football game, and in many cases causing damage to the boats.
The sailing vessel’s skipper had to call emergency services after the orcas destroyed his rudder.
These incidents have become more frequent, especially around the Strait where orcas and boats have been interacting with each other in greater numbers since 2020.
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Although there have been no deaths, the damage caused to the vessels is significant and sailors are growing more fearful.
Some local captains are now threatening to take matters into their own hands, with one even suggesting killing an orca to ‘teach them a lesson’ if authorities fail to intervene.
Orcas are bad for the local economy because sailors are afraid to go out on the water with their boats again, fearing that they may be a victim of the orcas’ destructive game.
The summer is approaching and concerns are increasing about an increase in orca sightings. This could have negative impacts on tourism in the area, as well as the maritime industry.
It remains to see if local or federal authorities will take action to correct the situation.
