| Port of Isla Cristina | |
|---|---|
 Port area with the shipyards on the north bank (on the right) | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| Location | |
| Country | Spain |
| Location | Isla Cristina |
| Coordinates | 37°12′00″N 7°19′00″W / 37.2°N 7.316667°W |
| Details | |
| Opened | 1755 |
| Operated by | Agencia Pública de Puertos de Andalucía |
| Type of harbour | Maritime |
| Size of harbour | 640,000 m² |
| Land area | 2000 m |
| Activities | Fishing, industrial and sports. |
| Nautical chart | 440, 440A |
| Scope | National |
| Statistics | |
| Website Source: EPPA (in Spanish) | |
The port of Isla Cristina (Spanish: Puerto de Isla Cristina), belonging to the maritime province of Huelva on the Spanish Costa de la Luz, is the port with the highest turnover in fresh fish in Andalusia and one of the first in tonnage and importance of catches at national level.[1][2] It is one of the 23 main fishing ports in Spain designated by the FAO.[3] It exports its products to all of Spain and much of Europe. It was originally developed as a way to support the fishing activity of the first settlers in the area in the 18th century. It has grown steadily in extension, reaching over 640,000 m² (64 ha) in 2009 after its latest expansion, although not in terms of the landing of catches. The 1920s marked the highest number of fish landed with almost 16,000 tons in a single year, highlighting the tuna almadraba. As a sardine port it has been, for decades, one of the first in Spain and the traditional species of the port.
The modernization of the fleet and the search for new fishing techniques have been a constant during its development, introducing innovations at a national level in fishing gear such as the tarrafa, at the end of the 19th century. Already in the 20th century, the reconversion of the sector reduced the importance of the port to give it to fish farms, while R&D activity was added to the sector with innovation centers such as CIT-Garum.
- ^ "Análisis de la producción pesquera regional 2006" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on November 27, 2009.
- ^ "Instituto de Alimentación Mediterránea" (in Spanish). Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca. 2008. Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved May 4, 2008.
- ^ "RESUMEN INFORMATIVO SOBRE LA PESCA POR PAISES" (in Spanish). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2012.