Tag Archives: albacore tuna
All hail the king of tuna, Oregon’s prized catch
One of Oregon’s most valuable seafoods is more popular than ever, but its nickname may fool you: chicken of the sea. It’s albacore tuna, and it is a fish that is grounded in Oregon commercial fishing history that reaches back nearly a century ago. Back then, West Coast fishermen went far out to sea in search of the albacore, also known as “chicken of the sea.” Albacore tuna entered Oregon fish markets in the 1930s when Oregon ports from Coos Bay to Astoria were home to large fishing fleets, dozens of canneries and thousands of employees who processed the catch. While Oregon’s large-scale canneries are long gone, albacore fishing techniques haven’t changed much at all, according to Steve Fick of Fishhawk Fisheries. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:55
Climate change forces 3rd gen fisherman to rethink this year
Every June, fisherman Scott Hawkins and his small crew set sail from a marina in San Diego and travel hundreds of miles, scouring the water, hoping for a good catch of albacore tuna. It can take hours or days to stumble upon a school of them. But when they do, everyone springs into action at once. The men grab fishing poles taller than they are, stand in a row on the edge of the boat and cast their lines into the water. Every few seconds, one of them pulls up a fat, two-foot-long albacore tuna and hoists it over his shoulder onto the pile. Every thud is another one landing atop the dozens already flapping on deck. They do this 17 hour per day for five months. “It’s the exact same that my grandfather did in the 50s,” Hawkins says. But this June, the boat isn’t leaving the marina. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:16
This Marine knows seafood
U.S. Marine veteran Jon Barnard loves fresh seafood. In fact, he loves it so much that he moved to the Oregon coast, bought a boat and started a commercial fishing business so he could share his passion with everyone. “There’s nothing better than coming off of the ocean to a meal of fresh seafood.” says Barnard. From his boat ‘El Desarae’ Jon fishes to order for restaurants and individual customers. “We are a custom order fish seller direct to end user. We sell today what we catch today. Our fish are individually caught, bled and iced to provide the freshest, high quality fish available. We fish seasonal catch including ling cod, nearshore ground fish species and albacore tuna.” 4 photos, more, >>click to read<< 20:04
The Fish Shop brings Oregon fish to Corvallis
Prior to the store’s opening, Harrison’s brand, Oregon’s Choice was solely online, selling primarily albacore tuna and Chinook salmon, all caught and canned in Oregon. Harrison purchased Oregon’s Choice from her parents in 2020, and in doing so happened upon the perfect market. “The two best businesses to be in 2020 were toilet paper and canned food,” Harrison said, alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The business started in 1977 with Harrison’s father, Herb Goblirsch selling his catch on the docks of Newport. >>click to read<< 08:37
Part II: F/V St. Jude – A Taste for Tuna
Joe Malley has reeled in a lot of different fish in his over 40-year commercial fishing career, but tuna has a special place in his heart. And on his plate. “When I’m fishing halibut, the last thing I want to see on my plate is halibut,” he said. “If I’m fishing salmon, I don’t want even a beautiful King salmon. But when I’m fishing tuna, you can serve it to me all day, every day.” Tuna doesn’t have a big statement to make, Malley said. “It’s the perfect American fish – odorless, colorless, and tasteless. And tuna can be incorporated into dishes in so many ways; for instance, you can stir fry it just like chicken. ”For Malley, his wife Joyce, and their five-person crew, tuna is a way of life. The F/V St. Jude crew spends 12 months a year on a quest for albacore tuna — from the North Pacific in summer to the South Pacific in fall. >click to read< 12:37
The Adventure of an Unconventional Career
Joe Malley keeps a faded but well-loved copy of the December 1, 1999 edition of the Magnolia News as a reminder of his family’s commercial fishing journey over the last two-plus decades. The photo and headline above the fold features Malley, his wife Joyce, and their young son Liam (now 24) standing in front of their new (at the time) fishing vessel, moored at the Port of Seattle’s Fishermen’s Terminal, as they prepared to embark on a new journey. The St. Jude, a 95-foot-troller, still makes its home at Fishermen’s Terminal today. Some things haven’t changed in the 23 years since the Magnolia News article was written. The St. Jude crew still fishes 12 months a year, chasing Albacore tuna from the North Pacific in summer to the South Pacific in fall. In between journeys they sell their catch off the St. Jude at Fishermen’s Terminal. >Photos, Video, click to read< 09:17
The Untold Truth Of Bumble Bee Tuna
If you’re curious about the history of this thoroughly American product, grab your life vests and Dramamine pills, and set sail with us to discover the untold truth of Bumble Bee Tuna. Have you ever considered the origins of a seemingly always-available product, like Bumble Bee Tuna? Well, if you’ve ever wondered about this tuna industry giant’s history, you may be surprised to learn that when a group of commercial fishing companies joined forces to form the original company, it wasn’t under the name Bumble Bee Tuna, it was known as the Columbia River Packers Association. Founded in Astoria, Oregon in 1899, where its headquarters remained for the next 81 years, the CRPA was a collective formed by A.B. Hammond, who hoped this conglomeration of seven commercial fishing companies would boost the group’s business prowess. >click to read< 13:19
“Challenging,” “Inconsistent,” “Strange” – Rotten tuna season comes to a close
It’s been a stinky season for Washington and Oregon commercial tuna fishermen. The final albacore tuna landings are offloading at local ports this week, ending was has been a tough overall 2020 fishery. “Challenging,” “Inconsistent,” “Strange” and “Worst ever” are some of the words used to sum up the season by local processors, commercial and recreational fishermen. Catch coast wide this season has been about two-thirds of the 20-year average, according to Western Fishboat Owners Association Executive Director Wayne Heikkila, who monitors the commercial tuna fishing season coast wide from California to Washington as part of non-profit group representing 400 albacore fishermen on the West Coast. photos, >click to read< 18:25
Two tough years for tuna Pacific Northwest fishermen
One skipper said it was his worst season in 15 years of fishing. Another classified it a “weird” year with scattered schools and undersized fish. For a second straight year, the news hasn’t been good for Oregon and Washington commercial tuna fisherman. According to official figures from the Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PFIN), commercial landings are down from the previous year, dropping significantly from the 10-year average in both states. August has historically accounted for a majority of the tuna caught in a given season, but this year substantial schools arrived later than anticipated, after a majority of commercial fishermen left or turned their attention to other fisheries. >click to read<08:45
Tough time for West Coast tuna fishermen as Albacore catch dwindles along the coast
Ask any fishermen, processor, buyer and they will say the same thing: It’s been an abysmal season for albacore tuna. Commercial tuna fishermen are going out further and stay out longer. Recreational tuna charters have been warning customers of the spotty fishing and suggesting salmon trips instead. In past years the albacore fishing came easier, when fish were nearer to shore schooled in numbers, but neither has been the case for the 2017 season. “The fishermen are bringing in very little or no income for their families,” said Oregon Albacore Commission executive director Nancy Fitzpatrick. The slow fishing has meant freezer boats are staying out longer to find the fish and fill their hold, sometimes as long as a few weeks beyond what’s typical. click here to read the story 13:23
