Preserved Almadraba tuna

Bottled or canned product, normally in olive oil, of the meat of the red tuna (Thunnus thynnus), caught in the traditional nets known as almadrabas. Fishing by net is a traditional fishing technique used essentially to fish for tuna in the waters of Andalusia at the precise time these fish are migrating between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and vice versa. The typical fishing net known as the almadraba is really a kind of maze of nets placed in the path of the tuna fish, normally near the coast, that is gradually closed in order to corral the fish and then capture them individually with harpoons from boats sailing near the net.

Tasting notes

The meat of the net-caught tuna is characterized by being a little darker and juicier and with a slightly stronger taste than that of other species of tuna.


Other notes

It contains vitamins, minerals and amino acids essential for the organism. The consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in tuna fish may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.


Production / Processing method

The red tuna are fished in these traditional nets during the course of their migration along the coasts of the Strait of Gibraltar in search of the warm Mediterranean waters. The red tuna begins to reach adulthood at about 4 or 5 years, and the larger adults (over 10 years) spawn in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Mediterranean Sea. Females of between 270 kg and 300 kg produce at least 10 million eggs in a single season. The larger specimens can measure up to 3 m long and weigh more than 700 kg.

The kind which spawn in the Mediterranean are the fish captured in the nets as they pass through the Strait, and also in Almería and other areas of the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula (Murcia and Alicante) which they pass on their migration route.

These fish are preserved according to a traditional process, using primarily olive oil and then packing the fish in cans or glass jars.


Geography / Relief and climate

The Alborán Sea, the location of the traditional nets in the province of Cadiz and Almería, is the part of the Mediterranean which extends between the Strait of Gibraltar and Almería, and from Spain to Morocco. This is an area of strong sea currents due to the fact that the Strait of Gibraltar links the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.