Los Cristianos fishermen protest at “slow death” of traditional fishing

[Janet]

Around 200 people protested through the streets near the harbour in Los Cristianos last night to try to avoid the closure of the Cofradía de Pescadores Nuestra Señora de Las Mercedes (the Lady of Mercedes Guild of Fishermen). The president of the Guild, Manuel Díaz, said that traditional fishing in the town is slowly dying and that the fishermen felt obliged to defend their way of life and the hereditary customs passed down from their ancestors. Also taking part in the protest were Arona's deputy mayor and environment councillor Antonio Sosa and housing councillor Marta Melo, as well as many locals giving support to the demonstration. A number of fishing boats also joined in the protest close to the harbour, and the sound of their klaxons resounded around the town.

This is the first of several such initiatives the Guild plans to take to get the harbour returned to its original use. They say that the new leisure-craft marina-style of the bay has marginalised fishing boats, and that the various authorities need to get more closely involved so as to "stop the rot and return fishing to its proper place in the town's identity and future", and to help the Guild return to competitivity and deal with a debt to the harbour authorities that already amounts to some €140,000.

It's a clash that has no easy answers. The Government wants tourism to go "up market", but also to develop niche markets that appeal to those seeking authentic-tradition style holidays. There has to be room for both the yachts and the fishermen, but in a small town, it seems likely that one is going to win and another lose. It's not difficult to see which one is likelier to be victorious ...

I've put this in discussion rather than news because it is an interesting issue to me, and one that doesn't relate specifically to Tenerife, let alone Los Cristianos. Should tradition be a "working" tradition in tourism areas or a marginal pretence, a show, of how things used to be while the real world marches on? JA

[Perikles]

Exactly how old is this fishing tradition? I thought the coast was uninhabitable until they had water pipes to steal water from villages in the mountains, and if that's the case the tradition is only a couple of generations. 

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Wonder why the Guild owes the harbour €140k?

When was it remodelled to provide access for pleasure craft?  Why isn't it big enough for both? 

Something smells fishy to me.


There!  Got it in first.

[Janet]

The debt comes from increasing harbour fees and port authorities charges for bringing in their catch, for unloading it, for sorting it .....

It was turned into a pleasure craft harbour in the last several months ... will try to find the link to the post on my site, back soon ...

edit: was beginning of last year ...