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FishDayHistory
Setubal fish has always been one of the products that has contributed most to the development and prosperity of the city. This is borne out by the Roman remains that are found all over the municipality, which testify to the fact that Setubal was an important industrial centre linked to fish-curing, between the 1st and 4th centuries. The Charter establishing the municipality (1249) contains some provisions related to fishing, which means that fish was an important product to the local economy in the Middle Ages, too. This importance grew as time passed and there is a reference in the Charter of D. Manuel time (16th century) to the large exports of sardines. The abundance and quality of the sardines was the reason for the great spurt of development seen by Setubal between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, when a great many fish processing factories set up in the city. The maritime area of Setubal, with its deep, rich and sheltered waters, provided superb conditions for many different kinds of fish.
The main fishing centres were in Gambia, Faralhao, and Setubal on a small-scale inshore fishing of the Sado Estuary, the Marine Zone of the Parque Natural da Arrabida and the Atlantic coast.
The region main species are sole, octopus, cuttlefish, skate, sardine, scad, various sea breams, red mullet, sea bass, gilt-head sea bream, clams and other crustaceans.
