San Andrés Loses Its Fishermen’s Guild
San Andrés is set to lose its historic fishing guild, a move that the local residents’ association, El Pescador, sees as more than just the demolition of an old building. They argue that the town is losing part of its identity, pointing out that other coastal areas like Punta del Hidalgo and Candelaria maintain their own guilds.
The Ministry for Ecological Transition has opened a public consultation on the demolition project, which has a budget of €42,439.51 and an expected completion time of two months. The project was signed off by engineer Carlos Enrique González Pérez on 16 June, coinciding with a public plea from residents to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to stop the building’s destruction.
Residents have a 20-day window beginning Thursday to submit formal objections, which the association has confirmed it will do. They don’t seek to revive the guild but are requesting a dedicated space for artisanal fishing, which they believe defines the community’s character.
For locals, the loss transcends the physical building. The guild represented the town’s “first fishing entity” and was intertwined with the identity of San Andrés, a place where fishing has always been central to community life. However, the guild had been struggling with few members, leading to its eventual dissolution. The only remaining maritime entity is a leisure boating club mainly comprised of retired fishermen.
The association also acknowledges they were not surprised by the demolition announcement, having been forewarned by the Coastal Directorate. They reached out to Sánchez last June to propose establishing a fishing museum or interpretation centre to celebrate the town’s fishing traditions, a petition that gathered nearly a thousand signatures.
Now, their objections will advocate for a space committed to fishing culture, suggesting a museum, interpretation centre, or a local produce restaurant, rather than simply reinstating the guild. They have been advised to present this demand during the ongoing special plan for Las Teresitas beach, emphasising the need to include local customs and traditions, not just tourism development.
The guild’s building has a troubled history. After the site was reclassified in 2006, it fell under public land status, with boundaries established in 2017. In February 2018, local authorities closed the guild’s bar-restaurant for operating without a licence, a ruling upheld by courts in 2019, leading to the building being sealed off.
Without the restaurant, the guild lost its primary income source, and the situation worsened dramatically after Juan Andrés, the guild’s leader since 2021, warned in July 2022 that they were on the brink of closure. Subsequently, the building has deteriorated, with images now revealing a derelict interior, including a damaged dining area and a kitchen in disrepair.
