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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide
Tuna, Albacore
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Tuna, Albacore
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Tombo, Canned White Tuna, Longfin Tunny, Shiro Maguro
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U.S. Pacific, British Columbia, Hawaii
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Troll, Pole-and-line
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Tuna, Albacore
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Tombo, Canned White Tuna, Longfin Tunny, Shiro Maguro
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Hawaii
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Longline
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Tuna, Albacore
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Tombo, Canned White Tuna, Longfin Tunny, Shiro Maguro
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Worldwide, Except Hawaii
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Longline
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Albacore Tuna
Albacore tuna is found in most of the world’s oceans. Not all albacore fisheries use ocean-friendly methods.
Look for albacore tuna certified as sustainable to the standard of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Consumer Note
In the U.S. albacore is widely available as canned white tuna. It may also be available fresh, frozen or as sashimi. Albacore is known as shiro maguro when prepared for sushi.
Health Alert
Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for longline-caught albacore tuna due to elevated levels of mercury. No consumption advisories are listed for troll- or pole-caught albacore as these methods catch younger tuna with lower mercury levels.
Summary
Albacore tuna is a highly migratory fish found in many oceans around the world. While albacore found in the North and South Pacific Oceans, South Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean is reasonably abundant and healthy, it is less abundant in the North Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Albacore is caught with a variety of gear, including troll, pole-and-line and longline. There is little or no bycatch when albacore tuna is caught with troll or pole gear. However, longlines, the most common method, results in large bycatch, including threatened or endangered species such as sea turtles, sharks and seabirds. Since there are no international laws to reduce bycatch, these longline fleets are contributing heavily to the long-term decline of some of these species.
Longline-caught albacore is ranked as “Avoid.” One notable exception is longline-caught from the U.S. Atlantic, where strict bycatch regulations and healthy populations result in a “Good Alternative” ranking.
When possible, look for albacore caught with troll or pole-and-line which has very low levels of bycatch. In particular, U.S. and Canadian North Pacific is a “Best Choice.”
Scientific Reports About Our Ratings
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