Albacore Tuna - Thunnus alalunga

Albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga, is a saltwater variety of fish related to the mackerel family. They are prized among fishermen for their fight and for their meat. They can be found on both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and found in both tropical and temperate regions.

Albacore Characteristics

Albacore tuna is identified by its unusually long pectoral fins. They have a sleek looking body with a metallic colored skin with colors ranging from silver on the sides and belly to a dark blue to black coloring on the top. Other common or nick names for albacore tuna are albies, long fins or ‘chicken of the sea.’

Fishing Value & Sustainability

Although albacore tuna can be found on both the Atlantic and Pacific, this highly migratory fish comes from one species. They are found in both tropical and temperate waters and are a fast moving fish.

There is controversy around what is ‘dolphin safe’ regarding tuna. Some dark meat tuna species actually travel with dolphin as sharks eat tuna and dolphins provide protection from sharks. Unfortunately, in the past some commercial fishing vessels looked for dolphins in the water knowing there would be schools of tuna with them, and when netting is used dolphins are a casualty of the fishing industry. Newer fishing methods are used but there still remains a large by-catch when netting is used for tuna, including dolphin and other species. Albacore tuna is generally caught by line and some companies label their tuna as ‘dolphin safe’ indicating to consumers that their tuna is caught by methods that are safe for dolphins. In the US, StarKist, Chicken of the Sea and BumbleBee seafood companies are all listed as dolphin safe under the Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammel Project.

Culinary Value

This fish is one of the most recognized of processed fish. When canned albacore tuna is known as the white meat tuna. The dark meat tuna actually comes from skipjack, yellowfin or other tuna, which as a reddish color to its flesh. In the US, legally only albacore tuna can be labeled as ‘White Meat Tuna.”

Methylmercury is present in albacore tuna. According to the FDA, white albacore tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. While they recommend eating two meals (about 12 ounces) per week of a variety of fish, only up to 6 ounces (or one average meal) may be of albacore.

Canned albacore may be flaked and added to salads or mixed with salad dressing or mayonnaise for sandwich fillings. Fresh albacore steaks are excellent poached and flaked. Albacore can also be grilled, pan fried or broiled.

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