VALENCIA REPORTS IN FAVOUR OF PROTECTING FISHING PLATFORMS AND WINDMILLS
The agreement responds to a request made by the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia
Two important elements of the traditional heritage of Xàbia and the Marina Alta are closer to achieving a new degree of protection after a favourable report from the Consell Valencià de Cultura (CVC) - the iconic windmills of La Plana and Safranera and the fishing platforms on the cliffs of this part of the coast. This has been in response to a specific request from mayor José Chulvi agreed during an extraordinary plenary meeting held on March 29th.
The CVC has understood that the fishing platforms were places where a specific fishing technique had been performed in past times from the crags and cliffs of the coast between Cap de San Antoni in Xàbia and the Morro de Toix just south of Calp and that these elements needed to be protected and valued as an important part of the region's heritage. It mentions that such installations could be utilised as a tourist attraction by local museums and suggests that creation of special routes, brochures and exhibitions. The report also emphasized the need to protect the cliffs from "speculative development" by renovating the paths that lead to the fishing platforms. In Xàbia, some of these platforms and ladders can still be seen from Mirador Les Pesqueres.
These platforms were created out of reeds and wood tied together with string with were then suspended from the cliff faces just above sea level. Fishermen, usually farmers from the inland fields who wanted to improve their income but could not afford a boat, climbed down to the platforms on home-made ladders and ropes to fish. Sometimes they had the benefit of a small cavity in the cliff face to shelter if the weather turned since the fishing took place between early January and April. Men from Poble Nou de Benitatxell and Xàbia became adept at this type of fishing, using a trident and a 'salabre' which was a type of net similar to a bag attached to a long handle. Using a carbide lamp or torch placed in a strategic position, the action of the waves against the cliffs and the light above seemed to hypnotise the fish. With this method, they could catch sea bream, mullet, conger eels, cuttlefish and other species.
The same case applies to the twelve windmills of Xàbia, eleven of which site of La Plana de Sant Jeroni and one in Safranera to the south of the town close to the municipal football ground. These windmills can be clearly seen on the ridge above the town, at night as well thanks to the recent installation of lighting, and can be visited at the Mirador Els Molins. The CVC report highlighted the importance of these rural engineering works, especially those of La Plana which have been dated to 1397 and are considered the oldest in the Comunidad Valenciana. It also stressed that the presence of these facilities throughout the Marina Alta were of great cultural and historic significance which is why the CVC has designated them as essential to continue the protection work of both public and privately-owned examples for the tourist and cultural value.
In both cases, which have been reported to the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia, communication will be moved to the Ministry of Education, Investigation, Culture and Sport as well as the FVMP, the presidency of Les Corts, to the Provincial Council of Alicante and to other municipalities in the Marina Alta.
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