Conil and the fishing

Ruta Del Mar Mercado De Abastos
Port of Conil, one of the most renowned in Andalusia

The origins and history of Conil cannot be understood without talking about fishing and the almadraba.
Already in the time of the Phoenicians, in 1200 B.C., the art of bluefin tuna fishing was key to the economy of the town.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the tuna trap economy was an important source of income, becoming a key sector, mainly during the season of the tuna passage to the Mediterranean, between May and June.
During this period, other fishing techniques were also promoted, such as the seine fishing for sardines, taking advantage of the wide, sandy beaches of this municipality.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the almadraba boats, the barges and the seine boats did not have a port of refuge, they had to beach themselves on the beach and, in the event of a storm, they had to take refuge in the "cala del varadero" or the "cala del aceite" (oil cove).
Conil, with the statue of the Jabiguero, pays homage to the hard work of fishing, where the Jabigueros pulled the ropes by hand to bring their boats closer to the shore and thus be able to unload what they had caught.
Nowadays, Conil has one of the most renowned fishing ports in Andalusia, where you can find excellent quality fish.
The construction of the fishing port of Conil and its electric lighthouse was completed in the mid-1980s, after a long struggle by the fishermen of Conil, who saw work on the dock begin in the early 1930s, but which was interrupted by the outbreak of the civil war.
The fishing port of Cabo Roche is located at the mouth of the river Roche, just a few kilometres from Conil, and is currently home to a fishing fleet of some 65 fishing vessels engaged in various types of artisanal fishing, an almadraba (tuna trap) and sport boats.
Nowadays, the predominant fishing in Conil is artisanal, local fishing, which is favoured by the great wealth of species in the area, which is carried out between the Cala del Aceite cove and the Roche coves.
Conil's fish has a designation of origin.
List of companies:
 - Organisation of Artisanal Fish Producers of the Conil Fish Market.
 - Almadraba de Petaca Chico S.L.
 - Almadraba Gadira
 - Almadraba Punta Atalaya S.A.
Information of interest: The most internationally known fishing technique is the almadraba, which is used to catch bluefin tuna. The boats are placed at a specific distance holding a net that traps the fish.  After fishing, the tuna are taken to the port and another very popular activity known as "ronqueo" is carried out, which consists of cutting up the fish. The parts of the tuna are removed and taken to the high cookers. Its name is due to the noise made by the knives when they rub against the tuna's large bones.