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that the high costs of this type of fishing led to the creation of innovative companies of
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shareholders (caratari) that contributed capital in predetermined fixed shares (carati).
Referring to the archival material, including the most reliable authors and the rich
historical cartography available regarding the tonnara sites built in Sicily from the Middle

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Ages until the end of the 19 century, one finds no less than 85 place-names corresponding
to both large and small fishing complexes. For some, only the name remains, making them
almost impossible to locate, while for others, it is possible to trace the decline in production

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and eventual abandonment of the structure. Between the 11 and 12 centuries 6 active
tonnare can be documented. A century later, the notary sources reported another 15 tonnare,
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and by the 1400’s there were at least 39 active. At the end of the 18 century, the Marquis
of Villabianca counted 71 sites of which only 9 – according to an optimistic estimate – were
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considered inactive or abandoned. In the end, a government commissioned report on the
Italian tonnare by Pietro Pavesi – completed in May 1886 – found only 21 active fishing sites
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left in Sicily.
Today, regardless of the uncertain future of tuna fishing in the Mediterranean – now

mostly carried out by modern fishing fleets – there is a pressing need to involve local
communities, researchers and specialists in the preservation of this productive preindustrial

microcosm. Clearly, traditional tuna fishing has entered a final decline in Sicily, thus making
the preservation of the architectural heritage of the Sicilian tonnare all the more urgent.

The so-called politics of “cultural heritage preservation” appear increasingly similar
to simple declarations of intent unsupported by rigorous scientific programmes and effective

strategies, and usually end up considering the issue exclusively in terms of financial

feasibility. The problem, however, is to repair the damage due to the loss of collective
memory, neglect, speculation and uncontrolled development along the coasts. Furthermore, a

community lucky enough to have such historic sites in its territory must know how to

11 R. Lentini, “Economia e storia delle tonnare di Sicilia” cit..
12 H. Bresc, Un monde méditerranéen. Économie et société en Sicile 1300-1450, Accademia delle Scienze, Lettere e
Arti, Palermo 1986, tomo I, pp. 261-273; G.L. de Barberis, Liber de Secretiis, edited by E. Mazzarese Fardella, Giuffrè,
Milano, 1986; C. Camiliani, “Descrittione delle marine del Regno di Sicilia”, in M. Scarlata, L’opera di Camillo
Camiliani cit., p. 640. A. I. Amico di Castellalfero, “Relazione istoriografica delle città, castelli, forti e torri esistenti
ne’ litorali del Regno di Sicilia”, in S. Di Matteo (edited by), Sicilia 1713. Relazioni per Vittorio Amedeo di Savoia,
Fondazione Lauro Chiazzese, Palermo, 1994, p. 172.
13 F. M. Emmanuele e Gaetani, marchese di Villabianca, “Le tonnare della Sicilia”, in Villabianca, Le tonnare della
Sicilia, edited by Giovanni Marrone, Giada, Palermo, 1986, pp. 35-101; G. B. Ghisio, Nuova ed esatta carta
corografica della Sicilia, Roma, 31 agosto 1779, cm. 154 x 130; F. C. D’Amico, Osservazioni pratiche intorno alla
pesca, corso e camino dei tonni, Messina, 1816.
14 P. Pavesi, “Relazione alla Commissione Reale per le Tonnare”, in Atti della Commissione per le Tonnare, Roma,
1889, pp. 34-35 e 47-54. R. Sarà, “Una ricostruzione ragionata delle attività di pesca nella Sicilia dei secoli XIX e XX”,
in M. Gangemi (edited by), Pesca e patrimonio industriale. Tecniche, strutture e organizzazione (Sicilia, Puglia, Malta
e Dalmazia tra XIX e XX secolo), Cacucci, Bari, 2007, pp. 62-68.

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