BUYING PACIFIC ALBACORE FRESH FROM THE BOATS:

During the summer and fall, many fishermen operating from California, Oregon, and Washington harbors will sell some of their troll-caught albacore tuna from their own vessels directly to the public. This is a fine opportunity to speak with the fishermen, learn more about troll-caught albacore and the fishery, and take home some top-quality really fresh Pacific albacore -- often with a new fishing story or two!

Finding troll-caught albacore in harbors up and down the Pacific coast is easy:  just look for signs or banners with "FRESH TUNA" or "LOCAL ALBACORE." Most fishing vessels that sell direct to the public offer cleaning and fileting and packaging services right off the boat at the harbor, so you can take home top-quality troll-caught albacore right off the boat!

Tips for buying troll-caught albacore directly from a fishing vessel:  Professional fishermen who sell troll-caught albacore right from their boats will usually show you the fish before cleaning and fileting it for you. This allows you to inspect the fish and confirm the following:

• The albacore should have a rounded body, without any flat spots or indentations. It should also be free of bruises, soft spots, or any significant tears in the skin.
• The albacore should not have a strong or "fishy" smell. If you think it does smell "fishy," ask to have the skin rinsed off with cold water. If a strong odor remains, the fish might be old, or may have been mishandled.
• With your approval, the fisherman or a crewmember will usually clean and filet the loins and bag them up for you. Ask them about ice and coolers if you didn't bring your own.

Handling & Safety:  Just like any other seafood, troll-caught albacore is perishable -- it's very important to keep in mind a few easy steps for preserving freshness, preventing spoilage, and otherwise ensuring the safe and sanitary handling of troll-caught albacore steaks and loins:

• Immediately take home your troll-caught albacore; if you live or are staying more than 20 minutes away, you should "sandwich" the albacore with ice in a cooler. The folks on the fishing vessel can help you with this.
• Put the portions of albacore that you plan to cook within a day or two into a refrigerator, then label the remaining albacore in its packaging with the date and freeze it. A freezer can safely preserve troll-caught albacore for a month, while a colder chest or upright freezer unit that consistantly maintains temperatures of -10F or lower can be used to freeze albacore for three to six months.
• Make sure you use refrigerated albacore within two days. As with any other seafood or meats, take care to clean your hands well -- along with kitchen counters, cutting boards, and knives -- using soapy hot water.
• Frozen albacore should always be thawed out in the refrigerator. NEVER thaw albacore or any other seafood on a kitchen counter or in the sink.
• If you plan to marinate albacore (or any seafood) it should be marinated in the refrigerator and not at room temperature.
• Albacore loses its wonderful flavor if it's overcooked, so it should be removed from the heat while it's still pink in the middle. Any fish or seafood (as a general rule) is sufficiently cooked when it's OPAQUE and no longer TRANSLUCENT.

For more information on buying fresh albacore directly from the boats, see our MEET THE FLEET section.