The Latest Spanish Property News from Kyero.com

Galicia in North Western Spain finally believes it is starting to emerge from five years of hard work repairing the damage to the economy inflicted by the sinking of the oil tanker “Prestige” off its western shores in November 2002. The disaster which claimed the lives of over 300,000 birds and assorted wildlife ran up a clean-up bill of reputedly 147 million euros.

When the oil tanker Prestige sank off the coast of Galicia in 2002 many people (justifiably at the time) predicted the death knell of tourism in the area. Five years later it seems that “with a little help from its friends” (and Mother Nature) it seems that Galicia has sprung back better than ever.

“Some times when you are tramping around in the disastrous aftermath of a major oil spill, your boots are up to their ankles in Class C Crude Oil and to be blunt; the air is awash with a heavy blend of oil and petroleum fumes mixed with the stark odour of death. It can be pretty easy to believe that a coastline will never ever recover” said Gabriel Nunez, Regional International Relief Coordinator.

Such was the general opinion of those unfortunate to have been involved in the clear-up of the 53,000 tons of Class C crude oil deposited on Galicia’s beaches in Nov 2002 when the Liberian registered oil tanker Prestige sank off the northern coast of Galicia – the so called Costa da Morte, the Coast Of Death.

Never has a geographical description been more aptly deserved than during those dark days of November 2002. The World Wildlife Fund estimated that overall some 300,000 sea birds died either directly or indirectly as a result of the oil spill.

Galicia, with its 1,300 kilometres of Coastline along with neighbouring Cantabria and Portugal bore the brunt of this catastrophe and life looked and indeed was, pretty bleak for some time. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers from across Spain and beyond helped in the cleanup operation alongside local residents, fishermen and members of Spain’s Armed Forces. It was estimated that the total bill for the cleanup operation exceeded 147 million euros and compensation was paid out to over 20,000 people who saw their livelihoods either destroyed or seriously impaired. The resultant court cases are scheduled to start proceedings in Coruna in early 2008 and are also including claims on behalf of those affected in France.

Fast forward 5 years to November 2007 and the scene is remarkably different and perhaps says more for the resilience of Mother Nature and the local people than to anything else. The economy, heavily based on the sea is vibrant once again and tourism is on the rise. Add to this the fact that produce harvested from the shores of Galicia on the North Atlantic Ocean is now finding its way into the tables of some of the finest restaurants throughout Europe and you have a comeback tale of almost epic proportions.

Vigo, on the western coastline of Galicia is now arguably Europe’s busiest (and some say main) port and Galicia’s Rias are the world’s largest producers of mussels. The abundant nutrients from the Atlantic Ocean combined with the ideal conditions at these latitudes form a unique ecosystem that supplies the most exquisite produce. The wide variety of produce is also remarkable considering the events of the last ten years and the quality of the goose barnacles, Norway lobsters, clams, spider crabs, sea crabs, shrimps and lobsters along with the oysters, mussels and cockles make Galicia one of the worlds leading centres of seafood cuisine.

Delicacies such as “Hake a la Gallego”, “Octopus a Feira” and “Octopus a la Mugardesa” have now deservedly earned the region its place at the top table. of international cuisine and who is to say that Atlantic Cuisine is not now truly Haute Cuisine?

Full story from pr-usa.net