The fishing technique called Bou

[Miguel Gil]

The bou fishing technique (also known as pair trawling) is a traditional method used in the Mediterranean, especially along the Valencian and Catalan coasts. It involves two boats sailing side by side, dragging between them a large net shaped like a bag —the bou— that is towed along the seabed to catch bottom-dwelling fish such as sole, hake, or red mullet.
The main difference between bou fishing and gánguil fishing lies in the type of boat and the way the net is operated. In bou fishing, two boats work together, each pulling one side of the net. In gánguil fishing, a single boat drags the bag-shaped net along the bottom. The bou system covers a wider area and requires greater coordination and manpower.Fig.1.C-gánguil , B+D-bou.
The boats used for bou fishing are broad-hulled sailing . Originally, they were wooden vessels with large lateen sails, later adapted to engines as technology advanced.
The boats dedicated to fishing were of various sizes. There were those of 15 to 25 tons, which used to fish for weeks sending their catches to land by means of smaller boats that collected them. But the most common ones, which went out fishing daily, would have a length between 15 and 20 m, and a displacement between 12 and 15 tons. There were smaller ones, between 4 and 6 tons.
When the boats returned to shore, their heavy weight made it difficult to haul them onto the beach. Oxen or bulls were used to pull the boats out of the water, using ropes and rollers. This collective effort was a common sight on Mediterranean beaches before mechanization took over.
More information on the site:
https://share.google/L2Sxt2Fc4rdnZm60b


Spain 1964,5 ptas (Edifil 1574)
“Pulling a Boat” shows the strenuous act of pulling a boat ashore, with men and oxen working together.Painted by Joaquín Sorolla in 1916.

Argentina 2004,75c.Spain 2004, World Philatelic Exhibition
"Arrival of the fishing boats on the beach , Valencia" .Painted by Joaquin Sorolla in 1898