Along the coast of Cilento, in the small fishing village of Marina di Pisciotta, a centuries-old way of fishing is still practised.

The menaica is a traditional fishing net used to catch anchovies, its origins tracing back to ancient Greece. Once widespread across the Mediterranean, the technique now survives in only a handful of places, kept alive by a small community of fishermen.

Between April and July, on evenings when the sea is calm, the fishermen set out in small boats and lower their nets into the water. The wide mesh allows smaller anchovies to pass through, while larger ones become caught by their gills. The nets are hauled aboard by hand, and each fish is carefully removed, one by one, before being cleaned directly on the boat.

The work continues on shore, where the anchovies are washed in brine and layered with sea salt for several months of ageing. This traditional method of preservation, closely tied to the fishing itself, gives the alici di menaica their distinctive character. Today, they are recognised as a Slow Food Presidium.

More than a fishing technique, the menaica is a body of knowledge passed down through generations: knowing when to leave, where to cast the net, how to read the sea and how to handle each fish. A demanding practice that depends on experience, patience and an intimate understanding of the waters off the Cilento coast.

These photographs document the people, gestures and everyday work behind a maritime tradition that remains part of the life of Marina di Pisciotta.