Cetaria Diving Center Scopello, Castellammare Sicily

The culture and tradition of the Tonnara of Scopello goes up to many centuries back; it is a wonderful place, full of history and legend. According to reliable sources, tuna-fishing took place even before the coming of the Romans: the mythical city of Cetaria lay on the outskirts of the "tonnara"; Cetaria owes its name to the plenty of fish in the sea.

Our knowledge about Cetaria is rather scarce and we do not know so much also about the tonnara, which today has misteriously disappeared.

Historians say that the tonnara was restored and used again by the Arabs who handed down their noble skills to posterity.

The last tuna-slaughter at the tonnara of Scopello took place in the eighties.

The boathouses, where the boats and all the equipment are kept, still echo to the "Cialoma"(a propitiatory song that tuna-fishermen used to sing to get more strenght to haul in the nets. Fishermen's houses are still today tidy and cosy.