Catalonia boasts 699 kilometres of coast, stretching from the county of Alt Empordà on the French border to that of Montsià, past the Ebro river delta. In its fishing ports, the fish markets stir up more than just a spectacular riot of colours and smells… Fish and seafood are worshipped on Catalan stoves.
In Spain it is said that the best months for eating shellfish and other seafood are those that contain the letter R, namely September to April, as summer is the time when most shellfish species reproduce. And along with spring come the very best lobsters, clams and oysters. During this season, these species can be found at their best and most delicious both at markets and in restaurants all over Catalonia. It is especially recommended that visitors try Delta Oysters, which are of exceptional quality.
Recommendation
Sea and Mountain Originating in the Empordà region, this mouth-watering dish combines seafood, particularly lobster and prawns, with meat, generally chicken. There are different versions of this exclusively Catalan dish, which can be flavoured with different ingredients – even chocolate!
Did you know…?
In Catalonia, around 30,000 tons of fish and shellfish are fished every year. There are currently 837 registered vessels linked with 32 different fishing guilds. Roses is one of Spain’s three biggest fishing ports, both in terms of volume of fish caught and the number of vessels. It is followed by Tarragona, with around 90 vessels, most of which are seiners and trawlers.
