Galicia

Spain's green Atlantic coast, home to one of the world's greatest concentrations of canned seafood production. The rías, drowned river valleys that cut deep into the coastline, provide ideal conditions for mussels, clams, razor clams, cockles, and percebes. Galicia produces more canned shellfish than anywhere else in Europe. The region's bateas, floating wooden platforms anchored in the estuaries, yield mussels of extraordinary size and flavour. The Rías Baixas and Rías Altas support dozens of canneries, from industrial-scale producers like Calvo and Frinsa to small family operations packing by hand. Sardines, mackerel, tuna, octopus, and squid round out a canon that defines the Spanish conservas tradition. Galician DOP status protects the mejillón de Galicia mussel and cockles from the Ría de Noia.