10 May The fish weirs of the Rio Minho as a symbol of identity and cross-border cooperation

On Saturday, 9 May 2026, a commemorative plaque dedicated to “Pesqueiras do Rio Minho” was unveiled in Melgaço, marking a symbolic moment of recognition and appreciation for one of the most emblematic cultural and identity expressions of the Rio Minho cross-border territory.

The fish weirs (pesqueiras) constitute a unique historical, cultural and landscape heritage, deeply connected to the relationship between riverside communities and the river, traditional fishing practices, and ways of life that have shaped the identity of this shared territory between Galicia and Portugal for centuries.

This event holds particular significance within the work being carried out by the Rio Minho EGTC under the SMART_MINHO project to safeguard and enhance this intangible cultural heritage, including the process of registering “Pesca nas Pesqueiras do Rio Minho” in Portugal’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This process recognises not only the physical structures of the fish weirs but also the knowledge, techniques, social practices and collective memories associated with this ancestral tradition.

The installation of this plaque also represents a tribute to local communities, fishermen and all the generations who have contributed to preserving this cultural legacy and ensuring its transmission to future generations.

Through initiatives such as this, the importance of cross-border cooperation in promoting the shared heritage of the Rio Minho is further reinforced, affirming it as a key element of identity, territorial cohesion and sustainable cultural development.