21-01-2026
UB Editions publishes a work on the historical legacy of whaling in the Cantabrian Sea
UB Editions publishes La huella ballenera en el norte de la península Ibérica, a historical and geographical journey through whaling in the Cantabrian ports of the Iberian Peninsula, revealing an exceptional historical heritage.
Profusely illustrated, this work, the result of years of comprehensive research and intensive fieldwork, invites readers to explore the legacy that whaling has left in more than 50 locations. The authors, Àlex Aguilar and Max Aguilar, guide us through a human and historical landscape of unique beauty and cultural interest, set within one of the most deeply rooted — and simultaneously controversial — economic activities in maritime history.
The introductory chapters trace the trajectory of whaling over time, journeying through different eras and offering facts and curiosities that allow the work to be read as a narrative. They describe an unprecedented human adventure that opened new navigation routes and sparked a frenetic commercial activity. The very epic nature of the act of whaling has also yielded literary and symbolic fruits — some more widely known and universal than others — thanks to precise knowledge of these cetaceans and their habits. From traditional coastal whaling to sail-powered deep-sea hunting and the modern industry, these worlds have left a heritage of immense heritage, cultural, and anthropological interest, as well as a rich web of global relationships and interconnections. Together, they form a valuable landscape and artistic legacy that gives voice to generations of men and women who built their lives around whaling. Illustrations, engravings, and historical photographs accompany a narrative that is both detailed and visually engaging.
The authors, Àlex Aguilar, professor at the UB’s Faculty of Biology, and Max Aguilar, photographer, take readers on an intriguing journey through one of the most deeply rooted — and at the same time controversial — economic activities in maritime history.
The central part of the book explores, in the form of a travel guide to northern Iberia, the historical traces of whaling in its towns, museums, and among its people. The vestiges of this profound legacy, which shaped a unique landscape across Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country, are recorded and described in detail. Here, the images take on special significance, perfectly complementing a narrative structured in sections that allow the reader to immediately access precise information. The memory of the inhabitants — both tangible and intangible — comes alive on these pages. From the Sea Museum in Galicia to Biarritz, Bayonne, and Anglet, chapters unfold on cities and small coastal villages, thematic museums, or unexpected sites in the middle of nowhere, allowing them to be read independently and giving readers the chance to discover and experience these new routes.
The book concludes with a highly useful glossary of whaling terms and a brief bibliography of sources.
Àlex Aguilar is a professor at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Barcelona and a member of the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) at the same university. Between 1978 and 1985, he worked in Galician whaling factories while preparing his doctoral thesis on the fin whale. He has served on the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission and has researched whaling in the South Atlantic, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. In 2013, he published Chimán. La pesca ballenera moderna en la península Ibérica with UB Editions, a historical compendium of whaling in the 20th century, also based on years of intensive research and personal, first-hand experience during the final stages of whaling. In La huella ballenera en el norte de la península Ibérica, he goes a step further and, together with Max Aguilar, presents a diachronic account of whaling linked to a specific territory, showing in detail where the remains can be found.
Max Aguilar studied photography. He is the author of several photographic projects developed during his time aboard fishing vessels. His trips to the Cantabrian Sea, the study of historical sources, and interviews with experts and local communities have allowed him to build a solid documentary and photographic foundation for this work.
Profusely illustrated, this work, the result of years of comprehensive research and intensive fieldwork, invites readers to explore the legacy that whaling has left in more than 50 locations. The authors, Àlex Aguilar and Max Aguilar, guide us through a human and historical landscape of unique beauty and cultural interest, set within one of the most deeply rooted — and simultaneously controversial — economic activities in maritime history.
The introductory chapters trace the trajectory of whaling over time, journeying through different eras and offering facts and curiosities that allow the work to be read as a narrative. They describe an unprecedented human adventure that opened new navigation routes and sparked a frenetic commercial activity. The very epic nature of the act of whaling has also yielded literary and symbolic fruits — some more widely known and universal than others — thanks to precise knowledge of these cetaceans and their habits. From traditional coastal whaling to sail-powered deep-sea hunting and the modern industry, these worlds have left a heritage of immense heritage, cultural, and anthropological interest, as well as a rich web of global relationships and interconnections. Together, they form a valuable landscape and artistic legacy that gives voice to generations of men and women who built their lives around whaling. Illustrations, engravings, and historical photographs accompany a narrative that is both detailed and visually engaging.
The authors, Àlex Aguilar, professor at the UB’s Faculty of Biology, and Max Aguilar, photographer, take readers on an intriguing journey through one of the most deeply rooted — and at the same time controversial — economic activities in maritime history.
The central part of the book explores, in the form of a travel guide to northern Iberia, the historical traces of whaling in its towns, museums, and among its people. The vestiges of this profound legacy, which shaped a unique landscape across Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country, are recorded and described in detail. Here, the images take on special significance, perfectly complementing a narrative structured in sections that allow the reader to immediately access precise information. The memory of the inhabitants — both tangible and intangible — comes alive on these pages. From the Sea Museum in Galicia to Biarritz, Bayonne, and Anglet, chapters unfold on cities and small coastal villages, thematic museums, or unexpected sites in the middle of nowhere, allowing them to be read independently and giving readers the chance to discover and experience these new routes.
The book concludes with a highly useful glossary of whaling terms and a brief bibliography of sources.
Àlex Aguilar is a professor at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Barcelona and a member of the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) at the same university. Between 1978 and 1985, he worked in Galician whaling factories while preparing his doctoral thesis on the fin whale. He has served on the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission and has researched whaling in the South Atlantic, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. In 2013, he published Chimán. La pesca ballenera moderna en la península Ibérica with UB Editions, a historical compendium of whaling in the 20th century, also based on years of intensive research and personal, first-hand experience during the final stages of whaling. In La huella ballenera en el norte de la península Ibérica, he goes a step further and, together with Max Aguilar, presents a diachronic account of whaling linked to a specific territory, showing in detail where the remains can be found.
Max Aguilar studied photography. He is the author of several photographic projects developed during his time aboard fishing vessels. His trips to the Cantabrian Sea, the study of historical sources, and interviews with experts and local communities have allowed him to build a solid documentary and photographic foundation for this work.