From 2025 – ongoing
Traditional fixed tuna fisheries are the oldest industrial activity of the human race. They have ensured precious proteins for centuries, with controlled and sustainable fishing, which has had a very high socio-economic impact on coastal populations throughout the Mediterranean and other countries. For years, the Foundation has actively participated in conferences in Isla Cristina (Spain), where the historical aspects of the tuna fisheries are examined and where the annual meeting of the Rais is also held, to keep the memory alive, also through the tuna fisheries that still exist.
This fishing activity has also generated a wide culture, with impressive and functional architecture, but also made of rites, traditions, recipes/gastronomy, customs, savoir-faire, songs and rhythms. In the Mediterranean, by now, there are only two last fixed tuna fisheries in operation, both in Sardinia: Isola Piana (Municipality of Carloforte, Isola di San Pietro) and Capo Altano (Municipality of Portoscuso).
For this reason, the Foundation has decided to support the Municipality of Carloforte in its aim to initiate the request to include the traditional fixed tonnara in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and in the National Inventory of the Italian Agri-food Heritage.
To support the initiative, the Foundation has created a high-level Scientific Committee, with experts from Italy, France, Japan, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Turkey, and has also made available the available documentation (a specific Italian bibliography of about 2000 works, a collection of audio-visual works of about 170 works, an iconographic heritage that begins in the 16th century, as well as detailed information on the historiographical part starting from the 2nd century BC and numismatics starting from the 6th century BC).
Furthermore, in collaboration with the University of Bologna, a PhD program has been activated since 2025 that will also examine the relevance of tuna from traditional fixed tuna fisheries in the history of Mediterranean humanity.
In 2025, the Foundation will participate in a conference organized by the municipality of Carloforte to raise awareness of the initiative.
With this activity, the Foundation places itself at the forefront in the protection of a cultural heritage that has played an important role in the history of human beings and also in the sustainable use of a precious marine resource.
Partners: Municipality of Carloforte, Aquastudio Research Institute.
Sponsor: Municipality of Carloforte.
