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The image of the toil fisherman pulling an empty net is one of the most photographed subjects in Los Alcázares. The scene at the Espejo beach near the church of the Ascunsion, strikingly depicts how hard fishing was in the days before tourism came to the Mar Menor. Although fishing was the main source of income in this area for a long time, it was a difficult and uncertain life. The visibly tired fisherman arches his back as he returns from a hard day's work without catching anything.
This tribute to fishing has a strong symbolism especially thanks to the two mermaids who follow him and who, seated on sea horses, try to throw a few more fish into his net to aid his efforts. The two mermaids represent the two waters in which fishermen practiced their trade at the time: the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean.
The statue of the fisherman has graced the beach of Espejo since October 13, 1998. That date, Los Alcázares gained independence and became the youngest independent municipality in the province of Murcia.
