Frequently Asked Questions
What are the health benefits of your albacore?
Our wild-caught pacific albacore have no mercury concerns, and are much higher in Omega-3’s, natural fatty acids that protect human heart and brain functions, then most of the popular commercial tuna brands in the grocery store. Sea Fare Pacific albacore is also a great source of high-quality, lean protein. Our earth-friendly pouch also makes eating this super food easy at home or on the go. Just tear the pouch open and enjoy our 100% white meat albacore in its natural juices and oils!
Are Tuna Safe to Eat?
Yes! According to the article in the September/October issue of Oregon State University Extension Service’s newsletter, The Coast Ranger regarding radiation levels in tuna. Read the PDF article here
What about mercury? Isn’t albacore higher in mercury than other tuna?
Oregon State University recently addressed this question. Its findings showed that troll-caught albacore tuna that were caught off our west coast have much lower mercury levels than the older, larger fish caught off the Asian coast that are used for most of the supermarket brand tunas. Unfortunately, many of the past reported results that show large tuna can exceed the FDA limit, don’t make any distinction between the larger species caught off the foreign coastlines, and our smaller west coast tuna. For example, a recent FDA study showed that canned albacore from common commercial brands had a higher mercury levels than canned “light” tuna. This is, in part, because the albacore in common brands are larger fish caught in the open Pacific, whereas “light” tuna is often the smaller skipjack species. Moreover, the recent research at Oregon State University that did make a distinction between the two species concluded that the mercury levels in the pacific albacore were well below mandated action levels for the U.S. FDA (1.0 ug/g methylmercury) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s mandated action level of 0.5 ug/g total mercury. That’s why we are proud to tout our superior fish at Sea Fare Pacific as a highly nutritious choice with no mercury concerns. Here is a great link to read more about the OSU research project: Tuna Goes to Market
What makes this fish taste so much better?
One taste and we are sure you will agree that Sea Fare Pacific tastes like Mom’s home canned tuna. The light, mild flavor of pacific albacore is unmatched. Our wild-caught tuna is packed in its natural oils and juices with no preservatives or fillers–pure and simple 100% white meat albacore! And because albacore caught off the west coast have a higher body fat content than the older counterparts caught off the Asian coast, they stay naturally moist without having to add water or other fillers when canned or in our case, hand packed into our convenient and earth-friendly pouch.
Why don’t we find more tuna like Sea Fare Pacific in our supermarkets?
Most of the popular commercial brands import less expensive, older, long line caught and net caught albacore from other countries where labor is less expensive and standards are less restrictive. Sea Fare Pacific adheres to stringent standards that support certified sustainable fishing practices and at the same time supports and protects Pacific Northwest fishing families. We process and pack only high quality troll-caught albacore, and keep the entire catch-prepare-package loop right here in the USA to support American working families.
What’s the difference between albacore and chunk light tuna?
Albacore, often referred to as “chunk white”, are one of the safest fish you can eat provided they are caught in the US Pacific or Canadian Pacific since they are younger and therefore have had less time to build up high levels of mercury. Meanwhile, “chunk light” tuna is a blend of different species that often include meat from high-mercury bigeye tuna, along with less contaminated yellow fin. Therefore, it’s best to avoid “chunk light tuna. Instead, stock up on troll-caught albacore like Sea Fare Pacific’s that are safe to eat and loaded with nutrients.
Where can I buy your tuna?
Our products are sold at various stores. Click the button to find a store near you. Locations
Is your tuna more expensive?
Yes, but we are confident that you will agree that our superior nutritional value, gourmet quality and fresh taste make Sea Fare Pacific well worth the price. Unlike most other commercial tuna brands sold in the grocery stores that are “twice cooked” with added water, soy and vegetable broth, our 100% white meat tuna is hand-packed in its natural juices with no fillers or preservatives. And some of the supermarket brands contain up to 45% water, so you are also really only getting half as much meat. We only cook top quality pacific albacore tuna at Sea Fare Pacific once to preserve all of its nutritious natural oils. We then hand fillet and hand pack our albacore in our earth-friendly pouch in Coos Bay, Oregon.
Where do you get your tuna?
We have many dedicated Albacore fishermen that troll off the pristine Oregon, Washington, and California coastlines and catch one fish at a time with a hook and line to keep the earth and ecosystem safe, and to provide the highest-quality, omega-3 packed tuna with no mercury concerns. We only buy from select boats that handle the fish to our high standards. We then prepare our specially selected wild-caught tuna by hand at ice-cold temperatures in Coos Bay, Oregon, cooking it only once to preserve its natural oils and flavors.
Is your tuna dolphin safe?
Absolutely! Sea Fare Pacific is committed to sustainable fishing habits. Unlike most of the popular commercial tuna brands in the supermarket, we never use the long-line fishing method or nets which often catch unwanted fish like dolphins, sharks, and turtles. We only catch our albacore with hook and line, one at a time, which is the only way to guarantee dolphin safety and keep the entire ecosystem safe. The bottom line is if you eat troll-caught Sea Fare Pacific albacore you will be supporting the U.S. fishing families, helping keep our oceans healthy and eating the most nutritious tuna available with no mercury concerns! Here is a link from Oregon State University to learn more about this:
What’s the shelf life of your tuna in a pouch?
Our earth-friendly pouch actually keeps the tuna fresher than a can. A third party that we independently hired to test our product says Sea Fare Pacific has a shelf life of three years and the “best buy” indicates the date. The 9oz soup and curry pouches have a shelf life of two years. Keep in mind, that our wild-caught albacore could still lose some of its freshness after the “best buy” date expires depending on how long and how it was stored, but as long as the pouch is sealed it will be safe to eat.
Is your tuna pouch convenient to pack along?
We are getting rave reviews about the convenience of our fresh tuna in a pouch from lots of people on the go. In fact, hikers, back packers, bicycle riders, fishermen, and hunters are finding that the pouch is convenient to pack along, and a high-quality source of lean protein to keep them going. Remember, you can just tear open our pouch of 100% pure and simple albacore tuna and eat it. You don’t have to worry about draining any messy oils or water!
Is the pouch really that durable?
Yes. Our multi-layered BPA-Free pouch has been perfected over the years and is FDA-approved to be perfectly safe. In fact, in many ways our metal foil pouch is more durable that a can, and will not dent (compromising the seal) if dropped for instance. The technology of our earth-friendly pouch has been used for years in the military for the MRE meals. As durable as it is, we do advise though you do not eat the tuna in the event that the pouch does get damaged.
Can the pouches be mailed for gifts?
Yes indeed! We are sure most will agree that fresh, wild-caught pacific albacore makes a wonderful gift. In fact, our gourmet tuna is approved to be mailed to the military overseas where cans are not allowed.
Is your tuna really 100% US processed and packed?
Absolutely! Many of the popular commercial tuna labels in the grocery stores buy and process their tuna in foreign countries like Vietnam, Samoa, and Thailand, but still claim to be a US product. We take great pride in being 100% American owned and sustainable tuna company. We troll catch our albacore off the west coast, and then package and process all of it right here in the US with American employees.
Do you offer your product in can?
We do have the ability to can our gourmet tuna as well as pouch it. But we strongly believe that the benefits of our unprecedented earth-friendly and convenient tuna pouch far outweigh canned tuna. We were really sold on the idea when we learned that we could produce a BPA-free pouch with a low carbon footprint on the environment, while actually keeping our albacore fresher than a can.
Do you have any other flavors?
We work closely with the Oregon State University Seafood Lab to develop flavors that will enhance our pacific albacore’s unmatched light tuna taste.
Have your products been consumer tested?
Yes, we work hard to make sure we produce the highest quality gourmet albacore on the market. We have numerous groups sample our products while in development, and we fund a consumer sensory test at the Food Innovation Center in Portland, Oregon.