fishing

   Spain is a noted venue for fishing enthusiasts. The sport is regulated by the Spanish Fishing Federation, and there are well over a thousand fishing clubs. In 1995, 66,645 licences were issued to men, and 4,251 to women, with the largest numbers by far being issued in the regions of Catalonia (14,345) and Valencia (13,463), with Aragon (9,306) and Andalusia (8,561) as runners up. The total, however, reflects the huge reduction there has been in the overall number of licences, from a peak in late 1970s of over 700,000 to just over 70,000 in the mid-1990s. Drought and pollution in the lower and middle reaches of rivers have taken their toll, but measures to combat declining numbers of fish include re-stocking, fish nurseries and the return of captured fish to the water.

   With her long sea coasts, marshes and numerous rivers Spain offers a very wide range of fishing environments, several regions being especially well-known for their good freshwater fishing. In Cantabria the Gorge of La Hermida on the river Deva is noted for trout and salmon, and the village of La Hermida is a celebrated meeting place of anglers. Extremadura boasts excellent trout rivers and marshes that are rich in coarse fish, and the area has produced a good number of records in carp and black bass. In Castilla-La Mancha carp, barbel, black bass, pike, crayfish, salmon and trout, both common and rainbow, are among a very wide variety of fish to be found in rivers and reservoirs. The Upper Tagus and its tributaries in Guadalajara and Cuenca in particular attract large numbers both of native Spaniards and tourists each year, and several of the reservoirs are noted fishing reserves.

   World Championships in sea fishing have been won by individual Spaniards and by Spanish teams, and National Championships are held annually in sea fishing, beach-casting and freshwater fishing.

   See also: environment; sport and leisure

   EAMONN RODGERS