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32-449: La Siberia is a comarca in the northeastern portion of the province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain . Its capital is the municipality of Herrera del Duque . The comarca is bordered to the north by the provinces of Cáceres and Toledo , on the west by Las Vegas Altas comarca, on the south by La Serena comarca, and on the east by the province of Ciudad Real . The district contains 18 municipalities with

64-476: A continental climate to the north and a Mediterranean climate to the south - making this area a transition zone. Most of the area lies in the Mediterranean zone, but the far north has a continental climate. Summers are long and hot while winters are short and moderately cold. La Siberia has an average high of 23.3 °C (73.9 °F) and an average low of 9.9 °C (49.8 °F). The hottest month

96-690: A trematode flatworm; Eustrongylides sp., a nematode; and Pomphorhynchus laevis , an acanthocephalan worm. The Barbel is a swete fysshe, but it is a quasy meete and perilous for mannys body Many authors have noted the highly toxic nature of barbel roe when eaten by humans, including Dame Juliana Berners and Charles David Badham . Badham relates the experience of Italian physician Antonio Gazius, who, he says, "took two boluses , and thus describes his sensations: 'At first I felt no inconvenience, but some hours having elapsed, I began to be disagreeably affected, and as my stomach swelled, and could not be brought down again by anise or carminatives, I

128-828: A comarca is equivalent to a district , county , area or zone . The large majority of legally defined comarcas are in Catalonia (42) and Aragon (33) , and are regulated by law and are governed by a comarcal council with specified powers. There are seven comarcas formally registered in Basque Country and one, El Bierzo , in Castile and León. In Andalusia , Galicia , Valencia and Asturias , comarcas are defined by regional law but lack any defined function. In other regions, comarcas are traditional or historical or in some cases, contemporary creations designed for tourism promotions. In some other cases (e.g. La Carballeda )

160-533: A comarca may correspond to a natural area, like a valley, river basin and mountainous area, or even to historical regions overlapping different provinces and ancient kingdoms (e.g. Ilercavonia ). In such comarcas or natural regions municipalities have resorted to organizing themselves in mancomunidad (commonwealth), like the Taula del Sénia , the only legal formula that has allowed those comarcas to manage their public municipal resources meaningfully. There

192-478: A combined area of 2,943 km (1,136 sq mi) and a population of 29,214 people. La Siberia contains 18 municipalities: La Siberia dates back to prehistory , when inhabitants were hunters and gatherers, semi- nomadic in nature. Rupestrian (made of rock) cave paintings and stone tools have been found from this era. The most prolific paintings in the area (though not in La Siberia itself) are those in

224-409: A river-dwelling fish and are sought by many anglers. They may not be the most elusive fish in the river; in the right conditions they are fairly easy to catch. They are hardy fish who will fight right until the landing net is slipped under them. Despite this hardy nature in the water they do not cope well out of the water, and must be returned safely and quickly. It is good practice to support the fish in

256-457: A time' . Adult B. barbus specimens can reach 1.2 m (4 ft) in length and 12 kg (26 lb) in weight, although it is typically found at smaller sizes (50–100 cm length, weight 1–3 kg). Adult barbel can live to over 20 years of age. Their sloping foreheads, flattened undersides, slender bodies and horizontally oriented pectoral fins are all adaptations for their life in swift, deep rivers, helping to keep them close to

288-401: A year, with mean (average) daily movement between 26 and 139 m . Adults commonly feed at night, although they may feed during the daytime in the safety of deeper water or near bankside cover and underwater obstructions. Their underslung mouths make them especially well adapted for feeding on benthic organisms, including crustaceans , insect larvae and mollusks , which they root out from

320-432: Is July with an average high/low of 34.3 °C (93.7 °F)/17.0 °C (62.6 °F), and the coldest month is January with an average high/low of 13.9 °C (57.0 °F)/3.2 °C (37.8 °F). The region only receives 463 mm (18.2 in) per year, lower than Spain's average, 639.5 mm (25.18 in). The wettest month of the year is December, receiving 73 mm (2.9 in) of precipitation, and

352-489: Is a popular sport fish throughout its range, long prized by anglers for its power and stamina. Izaak Walton noted that "he will often break both rod and line if he proves to be a big one ... the Barbel affords an angler choice sport, being a lusty and a cunning fish; so lusty and cunning as to endanger the breaking of the angler's line, by running his head forcibly towards any covert, or hole, or bank, and then striking at

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384-682: Is also a comarca, the Cerdanya that is divided between two states, the southwestern half being counted as a comarca of Spain, while the northeastern half is part of France . There are also other groupings of municipalities in Spain including provinces , mancomunidades , metropolitan areas and the major islands of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands . Legally defined comarcas have their boundaries and functions defined by

416-544: The 1970s until the early 2000s, at one time producing the British record fish. But in recent years the reintroduction of otters in the river catchment (together with siltation of spawning gravels) has had a devastating effect on the barbel population as they are easy to catch in the shallow, clear river. Now only a fragmented population remains, and barbel may be on their way to local extinction. Baits for catching barbel vary widely according to local practices and conditions. In

448-582: The Maltravieso Cave from the Aurignacian era. Human remains and ceramics have also been found in the cave. La Siberia is a land of varying terrain. The foothills of the Montes de Toledo dominate the north, and the flatter Sierra Morena runs through the south. Two major rivers flow through the region, creating vast peneplains in the less mountainous areas. Poor soil as a result of erosion in

480-618: The River Severn. Its favoured habitats are the so-called barbel zones in fast-flowing rivers with gravel or stone bottoms, although it regularly occurs in slower rivers and has been successfully stocked in still waters. Barbel are very abundant in some rivers, often seen in large shoals on rivers such as the Wye . Izaak Walton reported that there were once so many barbel in the Danube that they could be caught by hand, 'eight or ten load at

512-616: The UK which specifically promote the pursuit and conservation of the species, including the Barbel Society and the Barbel Catchers Club. Barbel conservation is important, for although populations appear robust in some larger river systems, localised populations can be vulnerable to environmental factors. For example, the relatively small River Wensum in the county of Norfolk was of national importance to barbel anglers from

544-504: The UK, popular baits include tinned luncheon meat , fishmeal -based pellets, hemp seed, maggots , and boilies . In areas with high angling activity fishmeal-based pellets could constitute up to 71% of the barbel diet. In France , many anglers still use natural baits, especially caddis larvae, which they collect from the stones and gravel near the fish's feeding areas. In Poland, they are often targeted by fly-fishing . Barbel are often stocked into still waters, but are predominantly

576-484: The area's landscape is dominated by a very diverse collection of trees, the most dominant being the oak. Other types of trees include quercus faginea , chestnut, ash, willow, eucalyptus , and pine. Almost all of the region has been declared a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds because of the large populations of endangered species such as Eurasian black vultures and owls. Large populations of partridges , pigeons, doves, and many other species of birds also inhabit

608-595: The area. Hunting small game is a common pastime in La Siberia; the most-prized animal being the red-legged partridge . Other small game includes phasianidae , quail , columbidae , rabbits, hares, and foxes. Larger game is also hunted in the region, the most frequent being deer, wild boar, mouflon , and ibexen . Fishing is also popular in the comarca. Fish native to the area include common barbel , Iberian nase , tench , and brown trout . Species that have been introduced by locals include carp , black bass , and pumpkinseed . La Siberia lies between two climate zones -

640-626: The bridge to be bound with chains. Poisoned with the roe of a barbel, the great one from Lorraine by the Marquis du Pont. Despite the risks associated with eating barbel roe, several notable cookery authors have included recipes for barbel in their books. Mrs Beeton , for example, writes that they are in season in the winter months, and suggests simmering them with port and herbs. Also, in The Illustrated London Cookery Book by Frederick Bishop. The common barbel

672-486: The country's water. The region is well known for its abundant water resources; because of all the reservoirs, La Siberia contains the longest inland coastline of any region of Spain and also the largest amount of freshwater in the whole of the Iberian Peninsula . With a population density of just under 10 inhabitants per square kilometre (26/sq mi), much lower than Spain's average of 70/km (180/sq mi),

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704-458: The driest month is July, receiving only 4 mm (0.16 in). Comarcas of Spain In Spain , a comarca ( Spanish: [koˈmaɾka] ) is either a traditional territorial division without any formal basis, or a group of municipalities, legally defined by an autonomous community for the purpose of providing common local government services. In English,

736-728: The four whiskerlike structures located at the corners of the fish's mouth, which it uses to locate food. B. barbus is native throughout northern and eastern Europe , ranging north and east from the Pyrénées and Alps to Lithuania , Russia and the northern Black Sea basin. It is an adaptable fish which transplants well between waterways, and has become established as an introduced species in several countries including Scotland , Morocco and Italy . Although barbel are native to eastern flowing rivers in England, they have historically been translocated to western flowing rivers, such as

768-745: The gravel and stones of the riverbed. Barbel diets change as the fish develop from fry to juveniles and then to adults. Diatoms that cover rocks and the larvae of non-biting midges ( Chironomidae ) are particularly important foods for young fish. Males become mature after three to four years, females after five to eight years. Spawning occurs between May and late June on most rivers, when groups of males assemble in shallow water in pursuit of mates. Upstream migration to reach spawning grounds typically occurs between March and May, depending on water temperature. Females produce between 8,000 and 12,000 eggs per kilogram of body weight, which are fertilised by males as they are released and deposited in shallow excavations in

800-488: The gravel of the riverbed. Barbel bury their eggs below the gravel, creating redd-like pit and tailspill structures. High amounts of fine sediment can be detrimental to the eggs and larvae of barbel, with emergence being delayed when sand content was above 30%. Barbel can spawn multiple times in captivity and there is also evidence for multiple spawning either of individuals or across the population, in wild rivers. Parasites of B. barbus include Aspidogaster limacoides ,

832-506: The line, to break it off, with his tail". Barbel fishing is especially popular in the UK, where it reaches a weight of over 9 kg (20 lb). A fish of more than 4.5 kg (10 lb) is considered to be of specimen size. Famous UK barbel rivers include the Hampshire Avon , Dorset Stour , Trent , Kennet , Wye , River Severn at Bewdley , River Loddon near Reading and Great Ouse . Several angling societies exist in

864-673: The national classification into provinces) establish six comarcas: Common barbel The common barbel ( Barbus barbus ) is a species of freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae . It shares the common name 'barbel' with its many relatives in the genus Barbus , of which it is the type species . In Great Britain it is usually referred to simply as the barbel; similar names are used elsewhere in Europe, such as barbeau in France and flodbarb in Sweden. The name derives from

896-518: The peneplains makes the region poorly suited for agriculture, so most of the population relies on livestock as their principal economic activity. The Guadiana River flows the entire length of the comarca from northeast to southwest, going on to form most of the southern portion of the border between Spain and Portugal . The region's inhabitants have created several reservoirs along the Guadiana, providing locals with ample water resources. The largest of

928-612: The relevant regional government ( autonomous community ) and so do not necessarily have boundaries consistent with provinces which are defined by the State. The remit of comarcas is very similar to that of the provinces and has been criticised for duplication. However in Catalonia, the comarca (and not the province) has been the traditional territorial organisation. Reference: An official classification establishes three comarcas: or sometimes four: However, historic approaches (before

960-792: The reservoirs are the Cijara , the García de Sola , and the Orellana . Also, in the southern portion of La Siberia flows the Zujar River , which contains two large reservoirs - the Zujar and the La Serena , the latter being the largest in Spain and the second largest in Europe. The combined maximum capacity of these five reservoirs is approximately 6.395×10 m (2.258×10 cu ft), or about 12% of Spain's water resources; La Serena alone holds 6% of

992-478: The riverbed in very strong flows. Juvenile fish are usually grey and mottled in appearance; adults are typically dark brown, bronze or grey in colour with a pale underside, with distinctively reddish or orange-tinged fins. The lobes of the tail are asymmetrical, the lower lobe being rounded and slightly shorter than the pointed upper lobe. Barbel are active fish and often travel long distances in quite short time periods. Individuals can move between 16 and 68 km in

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1024-494: Was soon in a state of great depression and distress.' His countenance was pallid, like a man in a swoon, deadly coldness ensued, violent cholera and vomiting came after until the roe was passed, and then he became all right." The use of barbel roe as a poison is mentioned in Nostradamus Les Prophéties , century VII, 24 : He who was buried will come out of the tomb, he will make the strong one out of

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