WILD PACIFIC ALBACORE: NEWS
News notes from around the world ...
WHERE TO GET YOURS in Northern California
03. NOVEMBER, 2008 -- EUREKA, CA: Albacore season is almost over, and many boats are gearing up for crab. If you want to know where you can buy some directly from the fishermen, here's a good source. "We keep a list of the vessels that are selling," says Suzie Howser, the dockmaster at Humboldt Bay Harbor in Eureka. "We encourage the public to call us to inquire about fish; we can give them the name of the boat, where it's docked, what's available, and the price." Howser explains that they do this as a free service for their fishing tenants, and they enjoy helping to promote wild-caught products. "We will keep a list in our office of people who need fish, and the first boat that comes in gets the list. If they cannot fill all the orders, we ask them to pass it along to the next boat." Suzie Howser can be reached at (707)443-0801 for inquiries about what's fresh and available.
ALBACORE FEED HOSTED IN CASTROVILLE
02. NOVEMBER, 2008 -- CASTROVILLE, CA: The Castroville Rotary Club and the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project will host their 31st annual Albacore Feed to benefit the MBS&TP's projects to promote salmon. Cocktails are at 6 p.m. and dinner is at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 10, at the Recreation Center at 11621 Crane Street [MAP] in Castroville. The evening includes door prizes, project demonstrations, and a silent auction. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door. Founded in 1976, the MBS&TP is a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and enhancement of the native salmon and steelhead populations of the greater Monterey Bay area. For details, check the MBS&TP website at mbstp.org or email Mbstp@aol.com.
TUNA STEAK IN A CAN
31. OCTOBER, 2008 -- MENTONE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: John West, the top canned fish brand in the UK, is helping mothers to smuggle 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of Omega-3 into family meals -- one can at a time. In a first to the market, the company's new Omega-3 Tuna Steak contains five times more Omega-3 than standard canned tuna. The new product's marketing campaign uses fun creative cues that help to deliver a serious message in the light-hearted way that John West is known for -- their canned salmon commercial on youtube is a classic.
PREGNANT? EAT SOME FISH!
06. OCTOBER, 2008 -- BOSTON, MA: A new educational flyer for seafood retailers focuses on the benefits of eating fish and seafood, and clears up some misconceptions about mercury in the diet. Previous information often confused and frightened pregnant women, causing them to eliminate fish and seafood from their diets. But these are excellent sources of omega-fatty acids, which are essential for fetal development; the new educational flyer encourages pregnant women to eat fish and provides serving size information for 10 popular fish species, along with Omega-3 information.
“Despite multiple and large research studies that clearly show the benefits of eating fish during pregnancy, pregnant women in the U.S. are still eating less than two ounces of seafood a week,” said Jennifer Wilmes, a registered dietitian with the National Fisheries Institute and member of the Seafood and Pregnancy Taskforce. The new flyer says pregnant women need to eat 2-3 meals of a variety of fish each week to set their babies up for optimal health. Fish is one of the only naturally-rich food sources of the type of Omega-3s needed for eye and brain development.
A taskforce of dietitians, food communicators, and maternal health experts from the Food Marketing Institute, the International Food Information Council Foundation, the National Fisheries Institute, and the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition participated in a review of the research and the creation of the new flyer. It combines the Institute of Medicine’s and the Food and Drug Administration’s guidance as well as the latest independent seafood science.
"There is nothing new about the government’s advisory on seafood consumption and methylmercury concerns,” said Pamela Tom, Director of the Seafood Network Information Center at the University of California's Sea Grant Extension Program. "The message in the brochure is consistent with the March 2004 joint EPA and FDA advice on selecting and eating shellfish, with one exception: the new flyer focuses on 12 ounces as 2-3 servings of store-bought seafood and provides serving-size examples." The Seafood and Pregnancy flyer is available online [HERE] in PDF format. Further details about pregnancy and nutrition are available on the NFI website.
EUREKA FISH SELLER BANKS ON NICHE PRODUCT
02. SEPTEMBER, 2008 -- McKINLEYVILLE, CA: As a commercial buyer for Carvalho Fisheries in Eureka since 1990, Bill Carvalho bought and sold Pacific rockfish, beach drag fish, surf smelt, perch, and salmon. But as the fishing industry began to collapse, he knew something had to change. The fish he bought and sold lost their Carvalho identity as soon as they reached the canneries in Spain or sashimi producers in Japan -- because they wouldn't sell under his brand. Carvalho shifted to sales of locally caught crab and albacore, and looked into niche markets; in 2004 he began branding and packaging under the name Wild Planet, a company he owns with experienced area fishermen.
“If we didn’t do this, we may have been forced to exit the industry," he told the San Luis Obispo Tribune. “It was clear to us that there is no future in selling generic crab, tuna, and salmon in a box -- because we are competing with overseas producers that can undercut our price."
Under Carvalho's leadership, Wild Planet has focused on explaining to consumers that West Coast micro-cannery products are not just superior to industrial cannery products, they're also a better value. The company's recently expanded its product line to include pouches of albacore tuna strips -- cooked only once in the pouch and containing no additives -- good enough quality for even Google’s headquarters food service. For more information, check the Wild Planet website.
ALBACORE FISHERMEN CHEERED LIKE CELEBRITIES
01. SEPTEMBER, 2008 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Albacore was a big hit at the Slow Food Nation celebration in San Francisco, and albacore fishermen got the spotlight. "On Gough Street in the Hayes Valley section of San Francisco," wrote one reporter from the Dallas Morning News, "you realize you are not in Dallas any more when you spot a Mexican restaurant selling sautéed tofu tacos."
A couple of blocks away, the 30-year-old Hayes Street Grill hosted a "Slow Dinner" event, but the special guests were not famous chefs or cookbook authors. They were the fishermen whose family-owned boats brought in the evening's dinner supply of albacore, black sea bass and white sea bass. They were applauded like Hollywood celebrities.
CHEFS SERVE UP 900 LBS. OF TUNA
19. AUGUST, 2008 -- COOS BAY, OR: Ten Oregon chefs went head-to-head over the weekend at the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute in the First Annual Oregon Albacore Challenge. Chef and judge Shawn Hanlin, according to KATU-TV, said the event really tested the chefs. "Pacific Seafood donated 900 pounds of tuna for us," said Hanlin. The chefs had to loin the albacore out themselves, and had to bring their own ingredients for the cooking competition. Visitors got to sample the competition for a $5 donation.
ALBACORE FEATURED ON ABC NEWS
19. AUGUST, 2008 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Chef Rob Zaborny of the Hayes Street Grill offered his recipe for Nicoise salad at a recent chef sampling of seafood associated with the Slow Food Nation. A San Francisco fish restaurant across the street from the Performing Arts Center and directly across from Davies Symphony Hall, the Hayes Street Grill is just a block from the Opera House, and they specialize in dinners for guests before they attend the opera, ballet, or symphony. Patricia Unterman oversees the kitchen with chef Rob Zaborny. "First thing in the morning," says Unterman, "the grill chef calls the fish man (Paul Johnson or Tom Worthington of Monterey Fish) to find out what looks good that day, and we base our daily menu on that." Chef Rob Zaborny, who featured Pacific Albacore for the "From the Bay" feature on abcnews.com, is a real advocate of local, sustainably caught seafood; he's been with the Hayes Street Grill for five years. For more information on the Slow Food Nation Event, check out slowfoodnation.org online, where visitors can sample an array of delicious local fish and seafood -- including Wild Pacific Albacore -- at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco on the 30th and 31st of August.
DEL MONTE SELLS StarKist TO SOUTH KOREAN COMPANY
14. AUGUST, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC: U.S. antitrust authorities have approved Del Monte Foods' $363 million sale of its tuna brand StarKist to South Korean food group Dongwon, according to a Reuters report. The sale creates the world's biggest canned tuna firm. Del Monte said the sale proceeds will be used to repay debt. Dongwon Group, according to the report, plans to set up a U.S. company to manage StarKist, and they plan expansion in the South American and European canned tuna markets.
ALBACORE IN WHOLE FOODS MARKET NEWSLETTER
04. AUGUST, 2008 -- ASTORIA, OR: Each summer, seafood enthusiasts look forward to another Northwest treasure -- fresh wild Pacific Albacore. "This sustainable, troll-caught tuna is the perfect main dish for your summer grill outs," according to the Whole Foods Market newsletter. "Providing you with the highest quality sustainable seafood is a priority for Whole Foods Market. Our albacore tuna assures the combination of exquisite flavor, health benefits and responsible fishing in every bite!"
Check out the newsletter, which includes a recipe for Moroccan Tuna Skewers with Zucchini & Oranges from Chef Eric Jenkins!
SIDE NOTE: Watch your spelling on this one.
wholefoodmarkets.com is a knock-off and NOT the same as Whole Foods Market, which is wholefoodsmarket.com !!
ALBACORE FEATURED IN GOURMET MAGAZINE
19. JULY, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO, CA: Barry Estabrook wrote a column called "Politics of the Plate: A Clear Conscience" for Gourmet Magazine, and included photos of WFOA albacore fishermen in his piece called "TUNA WITHOUT GUILT." Estabrook said he loves tuna, no matter how it's cooked, and he favors West Coast albacore. He said it's "just about the only tuna you can eat with a clear ecological conscience. In American waters, albacore are caught singly on a hook and line from small boats." He also noted that Pacific Albacore are rated as a “best” choice by Seafood Watch. "Most other tuna," he said, "fall into the 'avoid' category."
ALBACORE FLEET on PBS NewsHour
17. JULY, 2008 -- WESTPORT, WA: Lewis Hill was openly troubled as he prepared to fuel up his boat at Westport, and a PBS correspondent was there. "In the next 90 days, I plan on probably burning $45,000 worth of fuel," said Hill. "And I don't know what we're going to catch." In just one year, the price of diesel at these pumps has jumped 70 percent, pointed out NewsHour Correspondent Lee Hochberg. "It exceeds $5 a gallon at many West Coast ports," he said. "But the price of tuna has remained constant since the 1980s." He noted that some fishermen are scaling back on their season or just tying up their boats and staying in port. Richard Hagel, another commercial fisherman, told PBS that if fish prices don't come up to offset fuel costs, he just won't be fishing this year. "You know," he said, "nobody wants to do this for nothing." The NewsHour broadcast transcript is available online at the PBS website.
CHEF ERIC FEATURES ALBACORE
16. JULY, 2008 -- PORTLAND, OR: Chef Eric Jenkins of Astoria's Seafood Center Cooking School was recently featured on KATU-TV's AM Northwest show. His recipes for Albacore Tuna with Shrimp Relish and Wild Pacific Albacore Burgers were a big hit!
OMEGA-3 FATS FOR HEART HEALTH
18. JUNE, 2008 -- SEATTLE, WA: Forget net carbs and "superfoods," what shoppers are hunting now is Omega-3 fatty acids. But how can something called a "fatty acid" be good for you?
Omega-3 oils are healthier members of the fat family present in a few foods, including salmon, albacore, and other oily fish, flax seed, avocados, and walnuts. Omega-3 is an essential unsaturated fat -- one that is not produced by the body but is essential to its function. Omega-3 fats help build the membranes that surround cells in the body and help make hormones that affect blood clotting and inflammation, according to Harvard University doctors.
Fish oils are especially good for the heart, helping prevent deadly rhythm problems and, in high doses, lowering triglycerides -- fats circulating in the blood. "You can take tons and tons and tons of olive oil, and it won't drop your triglycerides," says Dr. Maureen Mays, director of preventive cardiology at Oregon Health & Science University. "The omega fats really have a medicinal property that's unique."
For more information, see the Seattle Times report on Omega-3s.
RESTAURANTS: GO GREEN!
19. MAY, 2008 -- CHICAGO, IL: The National Restaurant Association is launching "Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability," an initiative to support nearly a million restaurants and foodservice locations in the country as they become more eco-friendly. The effort was launched today at the Association's annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago. The $558 billion restaurant industry is committed to lessening its environmental impact while maintaining economic vitality. The initiative will show restaurateurs that even small steps can make a difference for the future of the planet, and have a positive impact on business.
Nearly one-third of restaurant owners say they are allocating a larger percentage of their budget toward green initiatives this year, and the second hottest trend in kitchen equipment is environmental friendliness. More information is available online at conserve.restaurant.org
LOCAL DOCKS AWAITING FIRST ALBACORE
18. MAY, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO, CA: Offshore ocean fishing could be on the verge of breaking loose, according to the Union Tribune; reports on Saturday indicated that boats were catching albacore at the edge of the West Butterfly Bank southwest of Point Loma. Radio chatter indicated that 15- to 18-pound albacore were found on a 240 heading out of Point Loma. If so, the fish covered nearly 200 miles in a couple of weeks.
“They're coming,” said Tommy Gomes of Catalina Offshore Products. He said he was in a spotter plane two weeks ago and saw pockets of albacore heading north from Guadalupe Island, 150 miles off the coast of Baja, about 250 miles south of San Diego. The sportfishermen said they were fishing for bonito when albacore struck.
ALBACORE: SPRING COMFORT FOOD
07. MAY, 2008 -- WILMINGTON, OHIO: If there’s such a thing as spring comfort food, a short list would have to include tuna salad of one type or another, according to Jerry Allison, executive chef for Winedog Fine Wines and Catering Services. "I’m not talking about that mushy limp stuff that you might have experienced made from cheap canned tuna," explained Allison in his Wilmington News Journal column. "What I dream of when my fancy turns to tuna salad is the good stuff ... 100 percent solid white albacore tuna."
Allison, who's been in the fine wine and fine dining field for 30 years, says the taste and texture of solid white albacore are the reasons it's called the "filet mignon of tuna." He recommends a light spring salad, served on lightly toasted whole grain bread with romaine lettuce.
VANCOUVER RESTAURANT: NOT JUST LIP SERVICE
07. MAY, 2008 -- VANCOUVER, BC: Local, organic, sustainable: The clichéd buzzwords are splashed across menus across the city. But according to a review in the Globe and Mail, most restaurants pay little more than lip service to the mantra. The Vancouver restaurant owners and chefs who have fostered relationships with local small-farm suppliers and are sincerely committed to championing the best of the region can easily be counted on one hand, and Aurora Bistro stands out among them. Chef/owner Jeff Van Geest has consistently cultivated close ties with local farmers, foragers and fish purveyors, and his menu now includes subtle French and Asian influences.
Is Van Geest dedicated to bringing his customers the freshest B.C. ingredients? The review noted that last weekend, just a few hours after the first load of local spot prawns arrived at the False Creek Fisherman's Wharf, they were already on the menu - which features a wide variety of fresh and local items.
"We start with silky bites of albacore tuna," wrote the reviewer, "that have been gently poached in olive oil. The fish (Ocean Wise-approved, of course) sits on a salad of navy beans bathed in smoked tomato vinaigrette punctuated by bright bursts of thyme. It's prettily topped with a tangled nest of bright-pink pickled red onions."
Chef Van Geest's Aurora Bistro is just one of many establishments focusing on local food and premium seafood from sustainable fisheries. You can contact the restaurant reviewer, Alexandra Gill, at agill@globeandmail.com
CHEFS SEEKING SALMON ALTERNATIVES
07. MAY, 2008 -- PORTLAND, OR: The closure of the 2008 King salmon season and the trend toward locally-sourced foods are putting Wild Pacific Albacore on more menus across America. Albacore fishermen and distributors from Washington to Southern California are preparing to meet increased domestic demand for troll-caught albacore ahead of the 2008 fishing season, according to Wayne Heikkila, director of the Western Fishboat Owners Association (WFOA), a non-profit group representing about 400 albacore fishing vessels.
"We are working with a number of seafood distributors to ensure the supply of this premium tuna meets demand this season," says Heikkila. He noted on newswiretoday.com that Pacific troll-caught albacore is rated as a “Best Choice” by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. High in Omega-3's, with a firm texture and a mild flavor, troll-caught Wild Pacific Albacore is ideal for grilling or broiling, or for preparation as sushi. It is sold in loins and smaller medallions, and is also available as premium custom-canned.
