Vigna di Valle Estate:
history & enhancement opportunities of traditional fishing in lake Sabatino
The 2/1987 Law of the Lazio Region, “Regulations for Motorized Boats in Lake Bracciano and Martignano,” prohibits motorboat navigation, except for motorized boats used by professional fishermen and those intended for surveillance and rescue purposes. The lake has very clean waters and has served as a water reserve for Rome. The company ACEA s.p.a. is responsible for water purification and manages a powerful sewerage system for rainwater and wastewater disposal from private residences and tourist establishments around the lakeside. The tranquility and cleanliness of the waters have led to effective natural restocking of fish species. The fish from Lake Sabatino, such as pike and carps, were highly sought after in the Rome market. «… They not only populated the artificially constructed fishponds but also filled the lakes made by mother nature with the eggs collected from the sea. Thus, the Velino River, the Sabatino Lake, as well as Lake Bolsena and Lake Cimino, generated sea bass, gilt-head bream, and all other fish species tolerant of lake water. …» Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella, born in 4 AD and died in 70 AD, wrote in De Re Rustica VIII, 16. In the eleventh book of Epistulae, the jurist Proculus mentions another Roman fish entrepreneur, Rutilia Polla, regarding the fluctuations in the water levels of the lake during the Julio-Claudian period: «Rutilia Polla bought Lake Anguillara Sabazia and an area of ten feet around the lake. Since the ten feet that <extended to the lake> at the time <of purchase>, are now underwater due to the lake’s growth, I pose the question: if the subsequent ten feet starting where the water ends rightfully belong to Rutilia Polla, were they sold to her to the extent they existed back then, <along with> the ten feet around the lake as they were at that time? Moreover, considering that the lake level has subsequently risen, <does the buyer> possess the lake to a greater extent than what she purchased?». During the Middle Ages, Pescatico was the tribute that the lord demanded from his subjects for fishing in his owned waters. The tribute was paid in money or a portion of the catch (Main historical source: Augusto Santocchi’s “Anguillara, Bracciano, Trevignano, historical information on fishing in Lake Sabatino or rather Triangularis Lacus”). The borders of the lake, within which the fishermen of Anguillara, Bracciano, and Trevignano have plied their trade, were respected due to ancient custom. The lake basin was considered to be divided into three almost equal parts, hence the name “Triangularis Lacus” (Triangular Lake).
Currently, fishing activities are carried out by approximately thirty professional fishermen in the three municipalities surrounding the lake: Anguillara Sabazia, Bracciano, and Trevignano Romano. Cooperatives, which are usually the preferred entrepreneurial form for fishing, are not very active, resulting in a rather fragmented landscape. There are four fishing grounds distributed among the three lakeside municipalities. The lake is home to numerous fish species. The bleak, a native fish of Lake Bracciano, is a white-silvery Atherinidae species that reaches 5-10 cm in adulthood. It is recognized as a “traditional agri-food product.” Every May, fried bleak is offered for free during a traditional event called Cottio, which has ancient popular origins around Lake Bracciano. Whitefish can be caught throughout the year. While pike and perch are typically caught from summer to late autumn. Another highly prized fish species, especially during the Christmas season, is eel, which is fished in October and November due to high demand.
The primary processed product of lake fish, marinated fish, is mainly found in Trevignano Romano. Mixed fish filets (whitefish, tench, eel, pike, and bleak) are fried and preserved in water and vinegar with the addition of various spices like lemon, garlic, rosemary, and sage. The purely artisanal production of this product currently limits its distribution, which remains primarily available at local country festivals, including the one in San Bernardino held in August in Trevignano Romano.
The organic agri-fishery company Hortus Gymnasium, as part of its income diversification and the valorization of natural resources in its territory, has committed to traditional fishing in Lake Bracciano. In this perspective, it is the main investor in an innovative project called “STINGRAY – Integrated Electric-Hydrogen Propulsion Hull“, endorsed by ENEA (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development). The project aims to produce a prototype catamaran for fishing on Lake Bracciano, an electrically powered fishing vessel equipped for professional fishing, a limnographic laboratory, and spaces for hosting tourists.
Simultaneously, Hortus Gymnasium, due to its investment in the fishing boat and the involvement of an agronomist with a professional fishing license among its administrators, has launched an initiative to promote the fish production of Lake Bracciano. The initiative aims to provide income opportunities for all fishermen and establish a more direct connection with the public. The initiative involves setting up a “fish gastronomy laboratory” within the productive premises of a rural farmhouse located a few meters from the lakeshore. It will be connected to a retail space and a refreshment area offering fish and wine tastings, all sourced locally to promote the catch of the day cooked to perfection before further processing. The actual demand for lake fish by consumers is limited due to relative ignorance about its quality. In reality, this fish, sometimes considered of lesser commercial value, is rich in nutritional value and flavor, constituting an integral part of the ancient regional culinary tradition that has made Italy famous worldwide. Neglecting its consumption contributes to not only a gastronomic impoverishment but also a cultural impoverishment of the “Belpaese”.
“Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit.”
Cicero
If you have a vegetable garden next to the library, you will have everything you need.
