Line-caught sea bass
Sustainable, responsible fishing
From April to January, the line-fishermen brave the currents of the Raz de Sein to catch sea bass. It’s an unusual job and one that can be very dangerous.
Not many people fish for sea bass in the threatening waters between the Raz de Sein and the Ar-Men lighthouse.
Line-fishing is a sustainable and environmentally-responsible approach that “respects the mating season of sea bass… in February and March, when the fish are spawning, we don’t fish”.
Line-caught: a certified food label
As sea bass numbers had fallen dramatically, the Association des Ligneurs de la Pointe de Bretagne (an association of line-fishermen) put pressure on the European Commission in 2014 to ban large-scale boats from fishing for sea bass during the first 6 months of the year. This agreement was vital, even though it will still take many more years for the numbers to come back up.
Thankfully, thanks to the ‘line-caught sea bass’ label, the price is holding strong.
If you want to try line-caught sea bass from the waters of Raz de Sein, go to Audierne fish auction or fishmongers, or you can also find it in the best restaurants in France, Italy and Japan.
Do you fancy trying fishing out at sea?
The Cap-Sizun and the surrounding areas also offer visitors the chance to try sea-fishing. You can take a boat trip out into Douarnenez Bay or the Iroise Natural Marine Park as far as the Île de Sein.