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The encañizadas of the Mar Menor

San Javier, Mar Menor, Murcia

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The encañizadas of the Mar Menor

Curiosity · San Javier, Mar Menor, Murcia

Image of San Javier, not of the place itself.

The encañizadas are a traditional fishing technique of Arab origin, already documented in the Middle Ages, practised on the Mar Menor using reed structures and nets arranged in the shape of a circular maze through which fish enter but cannot leave. Today only two remain in operation, la de la Torre and la del Ventorrillo, situated next to San Javier, in the channel that connects the lagoon with the Mediterranean. They are used to catch mainly dorada and mújol, and in smaller quantities magre and lenguado, through a selective method considered more respectful of the environment than industrial fishing.

Photo: Jmll (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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