Innovative new fish market set to up Roquetas de Mar port Costa de Almeria tourist appeal

ROQUETAS de Mar port is set to get a new €1 million fish market, which is expected will give the location extra tourist appeal.
Unveiling details of the project plans this week, Andalucia Ports Public Agency director Rafael Merino said the fish market would be “pioneering” for the region and “a reference point for other ports.”
The project includes the reorganization of the fishing area, which the agency director said the fishermen themselves had requested, and will see the market located right on the fishing dock.
The building has been designed not to block view and to facilitate the entry of visitors. There will also be space on the top floor for a cafe or restaurant. A further feature will be a roof made from sustainable materials.
As the port is next to Roquetas’ most emblematic monument, the Santa Ana castle, the hope is that visitors to the area will see is as somewhere worth exploring.
“It is going to be a very innovative fish market, which will be life for towns, not only for the fishing sector but also for the tourism sector, Rafael Moreno remarked.
The fish market project is a collaboration between the local council and the Andalucia regional government, and Moreno was received in Roquetas by the Mayor, Gabriel Amat and the councillor for the Presidency, Agriculture and Fishing, Rocio Sanchez. Also present for the presentation were representatives from the Roquetas Boat Owners Association, the Junta de Andalucia’s Development and Culture Almeria delegate Eloisa Cabrera and Andalucia government Agriculture and Fishing regional ministry representative Manuel Gomez.
“I believe that that with the help of municipal and Junta experts, as well as with the drive of the Roquetas Mayor, we are going to build a very important fish market”, Moreno stated.
“The time has come to provide an answer to what has been a request for 24 years in Roquetas”, he added.
The agency director also maintained that the President of the Junta de Andalucia regards Roquetas as important town for the region “and this project is the fruit of the work of two administrations on what Roquetas needs and what Andalucia needs.”
Gabriel Amat said the project would address the needs of the fishermen and the municipality, maintaining, “the fish market we had was not appropriate for a town of this size and of our tourism importance”
The Mayor said he was sure that because it will be possible to visit the fish market it will become a tourist attraction, which will showcase the quality of Roquetas’ fish.
“I believe we have hit the mark with this project”, he quipped,