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Shellfish collectors near the Vigo estuary started the year with apprehension. Heavy rains caused a surge of freshwater into the sandy beds, and when workers reached their zones they faced higher mortality. A community of more than 140 active fishers from the Vilaboa, Arcade, and Roundel groups, backed by the Consellería do Mar, petitioned the regional government for a biological pause to allow the banks to recover, hoping not to return empty handed. The request was not granted as the Xunta decided to investigate further before triggering any strike action. Despite ongoing concerns, the industry delivered a remarkable quarter in terms of both production and sales, aided by rising average prices that boosted turnover to 9.5 million euros by March. This marked a record early in the year since the epidemic impacted shellfish markets began its first recovery phase. The gains in price, more than anything, helped sustain overall revenue.
The Galician cohort and the Vigo samples showed a similar trend with a notable rise in value. Local markets sold out in the first three months of the year. A total of 712 tons of oysters, including varieties such as slug, bicuda, fina, blond, japonica, and ameixón, plus wrinkled shells, represented about a 10 percent drop in volume, while turnover rose by 23 percent to 9.5 million euros.
Within the Vigo region, which connects the estuary to the southern area of A Guarda, sea fishing activity in the permanent sector increased. The volume sold climbed from 40,150 kilograms to nearly 63,300, a robust rise. Yet the standout effect was on value, thanks to higher average prices that surged by 82 percent, reaching 983,560 euros and approaching the one million euro mark.
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To interpret the data from the Fishing Technological Platform, managed by the Consellería do Mar, one only needs to review the performance by species. The Japanese oyster remains the dominant seller by quantity each year, and its price rose by about two euros from the first quarter of the previous year, standing at 11.18 euros.
There were other notable shifts. The fine variety, typically priced higher, posted an increase of more than 15 euros, reaching 40.31 euros; meanwhile the slug stayed around 20.32 euros. Among the blonde or wrinkled categories, the increases were substantial as well: about 3.6 euros (14.8 percent) for one, and around 4 euros (9.6 percent) for the other. Overall, the shellfish figures reached the highest levels since the pandemic outbreak, which had disrupted business and delayed recovery efforts for several quarters.
Before the COVID-19 outbreak in Spain in 2020, sales of these species exceeded 10 million euros in the first three months of the year. In years past, including 2019, 2018, and 2017, average prices were lower but volumes surpassed 1,000 tons. The current data reflect a market steadily rebounding from the pandemic, with improved prices playing a crucial role in sustaining growth for fishermen and associated businesses. This trend highlights the resilience of Galician shellfish markets and the ongoing importance of price dynamics in shaping quarterly performance. [Citation: Consellería do Mar]