Purse Seining

Vessel: 150-250-foot vessels

Method: These vessels use mile-long nets to encircle the tuna. These nets encircle the tuna and are closed off by drawstrings much like a drawstring purse. They are rapidly cooled by placing them in holds filled with refrigerated seawater or chilled brine and are then frozen.

Fish: Used to catch skipjack and yellowfin tuna that make up the majority of the light canned tuna pack.

Longlining

Vessel: 80-200-foot vessels

Method: Bait and hook method: six-60-mile mainlines and branch lines with baited hooks catch two to three fish per 100 hooks.

Fish: Mature albacore that average 25-40 lbs.

Trolling

Vessel: Ships 25 to 90 feet in length in length accomplish this method of fishing. Carrying capacity is generally 25-100 tons of frozen tuna.

Method: Eight to 12 lines with baited hooks tow the fish. The lines are pulled by hand or by hydraulic haulers. The fish are quickly unhooked upon landing and are stored whole in blast or spraybine freezer holds.

Fish: Albacore that are generally 10-20 lbs. and have a higher fat content.

Fishing Grounds

To discover the fishing grounds for each species, roll your mouse over the fish and the map will change to show you where they are caught.

	Albacore	Skipjack	Yellowfin	Pink Salmon	Red Salmon
	Crab Shrimp Mackerel Clams Oysters Sardines
		Surface Caught Albacore
		Longline Caught Albacore