“Rooms of death”: Inside Italy’s annual tuna slaughter
- For centuries, migrating tuna off Sardinia’s coast were trapped each spring in fixed nets called “rooms of death.”
- In a 2012 release, Animal Equality’s investigators revealed tuna thrashing and suffocating as the nets dragged them to the surface.
- Animals were hauled aboard with hooks, tissues tearing under their body weight.
- Fish were stabbed in the chest and arteries, slowly bleeding to death on top of each other.
- For years, Italian citizens called on the national government to ban this annual slaughter. The practice has sharply declined in recent years.
Off the coast of Carloforte, Sardinia, the sea once ran red with blood. In 2012, undercover footage from Animal Equality exposed La Mattanza—Italy’s “tuna massacre.”
For many years, as tuna migrated to their breeding grounds each spring, hundreds were driven into fixed nets called “rooms of death.” Thrashing and suffocating, the fish were hauled onto boats, struck with harpoons, and left to bleed to death—a method some believed made the meat more tender.
Hooked, hauled, and stabbed: What the evidence showed
Investigators documented the tunas’ natural movements underwater, as well as their capture and slaughter. The findings included:
- Suffocating fish crammed together in nets.
- Workers hauling them aboard with fishing hooks and dragging them by pick-hooks across the boat decks.
- Writhing fish suspended in the air, their weight pulling the hooks deeper as their tissues tear.
- Tuna stabbed in the chest and arteries, slowly bleeding to death on top of each other.
Independent veterinary experts confirmed the fish showed clear signs of pain and distress. The footage was featured by The Times, Daily Mail, Italy’s La Repubblica, and Spain’s Público.
The state of tuna slaughter in Italy
In June 2012, Animal Equality staged a protest outside Italy’s Ministry of the Environment, reinforcing demands for a ban.
Street signs showed the distance to Carloforte, Sardinia, reminding officials in Rome that distance did not absolve responsibility. Advocates also launched an email campaign urging lawmakers to ban the slaughter.
Over time, the practice has sharply declined and is now rarely seen in Carloforte.
Farming and fishing: Two parts of a global crisis
The suffering of bluefin tuna is part of a global system with mounting evidence of cruelty.
Animal Equality has uncovered similar abuse inside factory farms and slaughterhouses. Footage has shown piglets beaten to death with hammers, hens left to decompose in their cages, and male calves left to starve to death because they can’t produce dairy.
These findings have been reported by leading outlets worldwide and cited in court cases, parliamentary hearings, and policy debates. Explore the full investigation archive.
In the United States, Animal Equality is urging the public to take a stand by signing its petition to end factory farming:
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Your voice is important as we create a world where all animals are respected and protected. Help us continue to spread the word, and please share this petition with your friends and family.
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You can end this cruelty! Please sign our petition calling for ending factory farming in the United States.
Fish-free and beyond: Practical alternatives
From the sea to the land, animals deserve protection–and more people are stepping up than ever before.
Animal Equality’s plant-based program offers fish-free recipes that keep cultural flavors alive. Explore dishes from around the world–including Italy–today.
DEFEND FISH FROM ABUSE
Scientists confirm that fish have rich emotional lives and the capacity to feel.
Protect these sensitive beings by choosing plant‑based alternatives to animal food products.
