Men typically crew offshore fishing boats. We may sometimes see a woman handling nets in the port, but rarely on board a ship. Originally from Colera, Pat Bros, @patbrosp, is one of the few fisherwomen plying her trade around the Cap de Creus. I had the pleasure of meeting a young, passionate woman whose eyes shine when she talks about the sea.

How did you get to this point? Why did you become a fisherwoman?

I've lived next to the sea ever since I was a child, and my father owned a small boat. When I was in school, I would shoot out of bed like a rocket so I could join him to go fishing at six in the morning. We came back on shore at nine to go to school, but for me it was a vital way to start the day. During the lockdown, I knew I had to have a job where I could be one with the sea.

What drives you to go out to sea?

The feeling of an ever-changing environment, the different things that can happen, and the things that you can see, especially the different species. The uncertainty of not having security. You head out to sea without knowing what’s going to happen, and that’s a feeling that sticks with you.

What advantages do you have as a woman in this profession?

As a woman, I have had a great deal of experience because I have been able to go on board with an owner who empowers people and who has experience working and sharing the sea with women. Women in the fishing industry need to make a place for themselves and they need to make it known that they can help and have a lot to contribute. We bring values and feelings, emotions that can make it much more enjoyable. I would love for there to be more women out there, which is why we are promoting this through the Catalan Association of Women of the Sea.

What's the experience of fishing like for you?

When I leave the port I see the sunrise and how every day is different. We fish in Cap de Creus, passing by pegmatite rocks, and we head out to sea. We look for John Dories in the nets and we unload the fish slowly and I look at every fish caringly. Sometimes starfish or gorgonian corals get caught and I carefully pull them out of the nets and put them in big jars with sea water. I give them to biologists and I know they make it back to the sea.

Do you fish with gillnetting?

Yes, and with funnel nets, but always loose gillnetting. And another really traditional net called bolitxa a few months a year in Cala Prona, Cala Tavallera, and Cala El Pas. 

Do you consider fishing sustainable?

We try to leave the smallest possible impact on the sea. Our fishing does not damage the seabed and we work with great biologists. We are participating in a project called Desmarees, which monitors if certain protected birds get caught in the nets accidentally, and also with the Rescap project which consists of removing gorgonian corals from the nets, restoring them, and replacing them. We also try to fish with much larger sized gillnetting so we don't catch small fish thanks to a project called Miticap.

What about nets that get lost?

We clean the seabed in Port de la Selva to remove lost nets throughout the year.

What's your view on the issue of fishing on our coast?

You have to listen to the sea and be present. It recovers quickly, but certain bans are needed. The weather already imposes certain restrictions, while we must consciously enact others. It's important to work alongside knowledgeable people and to continue with fair catching so we smallscale fishermen can live better. There are small things that bring great richness and biodiversity.

Where can we buy the fish you catch?

Fish caught with sustainable fishing in our seas must be prioritized. As local as possible. At the fishmonger's, you can ask or look at the labels to see where the fish comes from and how it was fished. We fish with gillnetting, traditional or artisanal fishing as it is called, but there are also other styles like circling, dragging, and so on. And when you go to a restaurant, it's worth asking about the origin of the fish and what fishing equipment was used. 

The website www.empordamar.com offers informative workshops such as From the Sea to the Peaks about fishing equipment, biology, and the species of flora and fauna around the Cap de Creus and the Mediterranean. We also have a family-friendly clown show called @pescaplastik that talks about the issue of waste and plastics on our coasts and in our sea through humor. //