Il personale italiano nelle tonnare tunisine (1816-1862)

In the 19th century, the tuna fisheries located in the Regency of Tunis operated through the employement of workers almost exclusively of Italian provenance. These were three facilities capable of producing thousands of barrels of fish-derived products, which were then destined for export to Italian markets. After uncertain beginnings in the early years of the century, it was the entrepreneur of Ligurian origin Giuseppe Raffo (1795-1862) who took control of the sector: under his management, the role of Italian workers was further consolidated, especially considering the direct relationships between Raffo and intermediaries based in ports like Genoa and Trapani. Through sources such as consular reports, passports, permits, and the extensive private documentation of Raffo himself, this article will analyze the main aspects of the presence of Italian workers in Tunisian tuna fisheries: their origins, recruitment systems, tasks, and challenges.