Tarifa and bluefin tuna: a three thousand year old tradition in the Strait of Gibraltar

If there is a gastronomic product that defines the identity of Tarifa and the coastline of Cadiz, that is the bluefin tuna from almadraba. An ancient fishing tradition, a technique that has hardly changed in three thousand years, and a product that the best chefs in the world consider one of the most extraordinary in the sea.

What is the trap

The almadraba is a system of fixed nets installed at sea to intercept bluefin tuna during their annual migration through the Strait of Gibraltar. Every spring, between April and June, tuna returning from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean to spawn pass through this trap. The technique was perfected by the Phoenicians and remains virtually unchanged today.

The four traps of Cádiz

The province of Cadiz has four active tuna traps: Conil de la Frontera, Zahara de los Atunes, Barbate and Tarifa. Each one has its own characteristics, but all of them produce tuna of a quality that the Japanese market has recognized as comparable - or superior - to the best tuna from its own waters.

How to eat it in Tarifa

The bluefin tuna can be tasted in Tarifa in many ways, but the most authentic ones are the simplest ones: slightly marked tataki, sashimi in the Japanese-influenced restaurants of downtown, or the classic ventresca a la planchawith a pinch of sea salt and a few drops of lemon juice, it does not need anything else.

The season: an opportunity not to be repeated

Fresh almadraba tuna is only available between May and June. If you visit Tarifa at this time, it is an opportunity not to be missed. Out of season you can find canned tuna - the mojama and the quality tuna in oil are excellent - but the experience of fresh tuna is irreplaceable.

At The Wind Palace we guide you on the best seasonal restaurants to taste the almadraba tuna. This is one of the recommendations that our guests appreciate the most.