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2004b, 2007; Di Natale et al., 2003, 2005b, 2006b, 2006c; Duclerc et al., 1973, 1974; Farrugio, 1980, 1981;
Frade, 1925; Ely et al., 2002; Fournestin & Dardignac, 1962; Fromentin, 2002a; Fromentin et al., 2000; Garcia
et al., 2003a, 2003b, 2005; Garibaldi F., 2004; Genovese, 1953a, 1956a, 1956b, 1958, 1960; Gordoa et al., 2009;
Heldt, 1927, 1932; Karakulak et al., 2004a, 2004b; Lalami et al., 1973; Lanteri, 2007; Liorzou & Bigot, 1995;
Liorzou et al., 2001; Mather et al., 1974, 1995; Morovic, 1961; Oray et al., 2005; Oray & Karakulak, 2005; Orsi
Relini, in press; Orsi Relini et al., 1994, 1995°, 1995b, 1997, 1998, 1999a, 1999b, 2007; Ottolenghi & Cerasi,
2008; Piccinetti, 1973, 1995; Piccinetti et al., 1977, 1981, 1995, 1999; Piccinetti & Piccinetti Manfrin, 1979,
1980; Piccinetti-Manfrin, 1970, 1994; Relini et al., 1995; Richards, 1976; Rivas, 1978; Rodriguez-Roda, 1964;
1967, 1969c, 1975; Roule, 1913, 1914a, 1914b, 1916a, 1916b, 1917a, 1917b, 1917c, 1918, 1919, 1921, 1923,
1925; Safina, 2001; Sanz Brau, 1990; Sanzo, 1909, 1910, 1932; Sarà, 1973; Scaccini, 1953, 1963, 1966, 1968;
Scaccini et al., 1975; Scordia, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934a, 1934c, 1935b, 1936a, 1937a, 1937b, 1938b, 1939a;
Sella, 1924, 1929b, 1932; Spagnolio, 1938), while many others are still unknown. The recent genetic studies
sometimes provides useful pieces of the biological puzzle of this species, while some others are putting new
questions (Alvarado Bremer et al., 2005; Broughton & Gold, 1997; Cimmaruta et al., 1999; Carlsson et al.,
2004; Clark et al., 2004; Ely et al., 2002; Ferrara et al., in press; Landi et al., 2007; McDowell et al., 2002;
Riccioni et al., in press; Tagaki et al., 1999; Vella, 2009). At the same time, this species is considered a good
ecological indicator, a mirror of the different concentrations of pollutants (Corsolini et al., 1999; Licata et al.,
2005; Orsi Relini et al., 2007)

The fishery of the bluefin tuna is also a part of the story of the human bean: besides the tuna traps, that are
discussed later in detail, the fishery was always a mirror of the advanced technologies, starting from simple hand
lines to the modern and sophisticated tuna purse seiners (Arena, 1982d, 1986b, 1990a, 1990c; Arena et al., 1980;
Arena & Di Natale, 1987; Bard & Le Gall, 1979; Bellón Uriarte, 1926; Berthelot, 1868; Cau, 1991, 1996; Cau et
al., 1999; Cavallaro et al., 1996; D’Amanich, 1954; De La Blanchère, 1868; De la Serna et al., 1998; Desse &
Desse-Berset, 1994; De Stefano, 2006; Dieuzeide, 1931; De Metrio et al., 1999; Di Natale, 1988a, 1988c, 1990,
1991, 1996, 1999; Di Natale et al., 1987, 1988a, 1988b, 1989, 1993, 1996, 2003, 2004; 2005a, 2005b, 2006a; Di
Natale & Mangano, 2008; Doumenge, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1998; Duhamel de Monceaus, 1769-1782; Duviard,
1992; Farrugio, 1978, 1980, 1981; Ferrandis Ballester et al., 1997; Ferraro, 1986; Fromentin, 2002, 2003;
Gordoa et al., 2004; Heldt, 1932; La Marhadour, 1914; Liorzou & Bigot, 1991; Liorzou et al., 2001; Mackenzie
& Mayers, 2007; Mackenzie et al., 2009; Mielgo Bregazzi, 2006, 2008, 2009; Ninni, 1917, 1921a; Northridge et
al., 1991; Oren & Ben Tuvia, 1954, 1959; Orsi Relini et al., 1993, 1996; Ottolenghi & Cerasi, 2008; Parona,
1919; Pommereau, 1955; Pavesi, 1889; Piccinetti, 1980; Piccinetti & Farrugio, 1980; Piccinetti & Piccinetti
Manfrin, 1999; Potoschi & Sturiale, 1999; Rodriguez Santamaria, 1923; Roule, 1914a, 1914b, 1916a, 1921;
1924; 1925; Sañez Reguart, 1781; Sarà, 1963; Scaccini, 1951, 1953, 1965, 1973; Scaccini & Biancalana, 1959;
Scordia, 1934b, 1936b, 1940a; Sella, 1929b; Sion et al., 1999; Susca et al., 2001).

The recent adoption of the caging system in the Mediterranean to increase the added value of the fattened tuna
on the market can be tracked in the papers by De Stefano & Van Der Heijden (2007), D’Amico & La Via
(2007); Di Trapani (2008); Doumenge (1999), Katavic et al. (2003), Lioka et al., 2000, Mielgo Bregazzi (2006,
2008, 2009), Miyake et al. (2003), Ottolenghi & Cerasi (2008) Piccinetti (1980) and Repetto et al. (2001).

The story of the bluefin tuna fishery also shows large temporal holes over the centuries, maybe because it was a
common activity and possibly the literature was mostly dealing with more elegant issues. It is also true that the
same holes exist in several natural history areas.

According to what Aristotelis (in Athaeneus, 1653) said, “thynnum esse tradit gregalem ac locum mutare”, this
species is a very migrant one, able to cross the ocean in a short time, and to carefully read the chemical and
physical messages from the sea waters. The bluefin tuna migrations are huge and only partly known even today.
Big changes in the distribution pattern have been reported so far, but most of them are known in the last century
(Aloncle, 1964; Arena, 1971; Brill, 1994; Brill & Lutcavage, 2001; Cort & Liorzou, 1991, 1995; Cort & De la
Serna, 1994; Cort & Rey, 1983; De Metrio, 2005; De Metrio et al., 2001; Fromentin, 2002b; Genovese, 1959;
ICCAT, 2009; Lozano Cabo, 1959a, 1959b; Mather 1962a, 1962b; Mather et al., 1967, 1974, 1995; Naccari,
1872; Ninni, 1922; Pavesi, 1887; Rey, 1979, 1992, 1999; Rivas, 1976; Rodríguez-Marín et al., 2009; Rodriguez-
Roda, 1959, 1969b, 1980a, 1983; Rooker et al., 2007; Roule, 1924b; Sarà, 1963, 1964; Scordia, 1938, 1939a,
1940b; Sella, 1926a, 1926b, 1927, 1929, 1930,1931, 1932).

It is very difficult to track the story of this fishery through the centuries until the 16th century, because the
information is scattered in poems, literature, romances and commercial notes. Only from 1500 onwards is it
possible to find some good reports and even figures and engravings, beginning from Braun & Ogenberg (1572-
1617), which help us to better understand how the exploitation was developed in the last 500 years.

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