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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,361
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Tuna....scarce in US?

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I love tuna fish and have it for lunch quite often. I started reading the bottom of the cans and found that none of the Bumble Bee or Star Kist are products of US. Bumble Bee from Vietnam and Star Kist from Fiji. Why do we have to import from foreign countries? Is it fishing restrictions here? I am not sure Vietnam and Fiji have the same safety restrictions on food that we do, so it does concern me.

 

I live not that far from Gloucester Mass which I thought was a kind if hub for tuna fishing. Don’t understand it..

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,753
Registered: ‎06-07-2010

I did not realize this and no, it makes absolutely no sense.  I always thought that the US was a "fish fluent" country so to speak.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,397
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

From what I've heard from watching the reality series Wicked Tuna, most of their catch of gourmet Blue Fin Tuna goes to the Asian market.  Maybe the Asians send the lesser quality canned stuff to us.  The pandemic seems to have affected the market.  The varieties of tuna are caught in different locations and make a big difference in how it's used. 

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,987
Registered: ‎05-13-2021

Cheap labor, bigger profits.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,407
Registered: ‎07-07-2010

I get Italian tuna at Costco and all through the pandemic there was a limit to one package per family.  I have no idea if that has changed.

The next time that I hear salt and ice together, it better be in a margarita!
Valued Contributor
Posts: 775
Registered: ‎02-28-2017

You need to limit your intake of tuna fish, no matter what brand or where sourced. Tuna fish contains large amounts of Mercury, which is not healthy. From what I've read, experts say consume it once a week at most.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Amazon and Whole Foods sell American Tuna.  I also think tuna from the Mediterranean is great!  Spain, Portugal and others. . . Amazon has a good selection.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,401
Registered: ‎07-15-2016

I get my canned tuna through Amazon's Subscribe & Save.  A dozen cans every other month (I like tuna!).  Alternating between two brands - one in water the other in oil.

 

Genova Yellow Fin

Starkist

 

Much less expensive than the supermarket

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 43,246
Registered: ‎01-08-2011

When I get chicken salad from Fresh Market, the tuna salad pan under the glass is quite high.

 

Just an observation. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,361
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I have a possible answer to some of this.I was speaking to my brother who lives very close to Gloucester Mass. He has a friend who is a fisherman and he said that the bluefin tuna that come into the docks are immediately checked out for fat content and shipped to Japan for sushi. This is a big dollar industry since they are willing to pay very high prices for it.

Not sure why the solid white albacore is fished in foreign waters and canned in US.