Dear U.S. Consumer:
It is again the time of the
year when U.S. family owned and operated fishing vessels head to sea to catch
sustainable, healthful, and local albacore tuna. As they have for the past 100
years, U.S. albacore pole and line fishermen on small boats spend their summers
out of sight of land in the blue waters searching for this tasty species. In a
normal year the US coastal fleet numbering in the hundreds, based in harbors
all along the west coast, catch and land 30-40 million pounds of albacore.
Although most still is shipped overseas for canning in Europe, or sashimi in
Asia, a growing percentage now is available to the U.S. consumer through
retailers, restaurants, fish markets, and directly off the vessels.
Most of the albacore is
frozen-at-sea within an hour of catching and held at very cold temperatures
until they are marketed, some are chilled and iced immediately and sold as
fresh off the vessels. No matter what the method of preservation, if done
correctly it results in a very high quality consumer product. Consumers in the
U.S. need not be alarmed by the old fresh vs. frozen stereotype of the past in
food service. The Japanese for many years have sold their utmost high quality
tuna from freezing at sea and superb handling on board boats and most is consumed
in very high quality sushi and sashimi markets.
Thus, the U.S. albacore
fishing community asks for the consumers help in requesting their product in
local stores and outlets. It helps US fish families, processors, and local
businesses. It also removes US fishermen from the whim of foreign economic
jitters which may affect some prices to fishermen in 2013. The US fishing
industry wishes to thank the US consumer for its continued support.
Wayne Heikkila - Executive
Director WFOA
