Tuna: Albacore

White tuna (canned)

Shiro maguro, Tombo

Albacore tuna is one of the most migratory tunas. Albacore tuna troll caught in the Canadian and US Pacific is the most sustainable option.

The Canadian and US fisheries have minimal bycatch, no habitat impacts, and the management is effective. Bycatch is the main concern for the international pelagic longline albacore fisheries, which capture endangered species of seabirds and turtles while in pursuit of tuna. Broad ecosystem effects are also apparent in these longline fisheries.

Overall, albacore tuna is a species resistant to fishing pressure, but status of the stocks is a moderate conservation concern for all albacore fisheries worldwide.

Many life history characteristics of the albacore tuna make it resistant to fishing pressure. Albacore are relatively quick to mature with short lives. They breed prolifically year-round and spawn across vast areas of the tropical oceans.

ATLANTIC: The North Atlantic albacore population is considered to be overfished with overfishing still occurring. Latest stock assessments found the spawning biomass of the North Atlantic stock to be about 30% below that required to produce maximum sustainable yield. The southern Atlantic stock is not considered overfished.

INDIAN: Little information is available about the status of albacore stocks in the Indian Ocean

The international pelagic longline fleet captures several endangered species of seabirds and turtles while in pursuit of albacore tuna.

Pelagic longlines have negligible habitat effects since they are not used near the bottom. The ecosystem effects of removing large predators, such as tuna, billfishes, and sharks, however, remain controversial. Due to the nature of the ecosystem effects caused by the removal of large predators from the ecosystem, the conservation concern for pelagic longlines is ‘moderate’.

ATLANTIC & PACIFIC: The International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas currently manages Atlantic albacore tuna, which includes observer coverage. Enforcing international tuna fishing law, however, is challenging given that boats operate on the high seas far from observation.

INDIAN: The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission has not yet produced a definitive survey of the albacore fishery and so there is no international management plan in place for Indian Ocean albacore.

There has been little effort to manage bycatch in the international fishery.

What kind of tuna is this?

How was it caught?

Where was it caught?

Albacore tuna from Canada, the US Pacific, and Hawaii caught by trolling or hook and line represent a SeaChoice “Best Choice”

Adults and children should eat no more than 4 meals per month + Contaminant levels are unknown

No.