mattanza

Mattanza is the Italian term for the traditional hunting and slaughter of tuna, especially large Mediterranean bluefin, carried out with a tonnara—an intricate coastal fishing system of nets, gates, and chambers designed to herd schools of fish toward a central working area. The practice is most closely associated with Italy’s western coast, notably the tonnare of Sicily and Sardinia, including Favignana, Mazara del Vallo, and Carloforte, though similar methods have appeared in other parts of the Mediterranean.

The process involves setting up a network of nets well before the fishing season. Tuna are driven by smaller boats through the channels of the tonnara, through successive nets and funnels, and into a central chamber where the final kill, the mattanza, is carried out. The slaughter is performed by hand using harpoons, long knives, and hooks, after which the fish are bled and processed on site or transported for canning, salting, or other preparations. Historically it was a multi-day event that could draw onlookers and markets; in modern times it is often reduced to a shorter operation or preserved as a cultural demonstration rather than a routine commercial practice.

Historically, mattanza has roots in ancient Mediterranean fishing traditions and grew to prominence in the 18th–20th centuries in certain coastal communities. Today it is much less common, with many tonnare closed or maintained as living heritage or tourist attractions. It remains a subject of cultural debate, balancing culinary and maritime heritage with concerns about animal welfare and sustainability.