ABOUT US
Our Story
American Tuna was formed by six American Pole & Line fishing families in San Diego, California in 2005– to raise awareness and bring to market sustainably sourced seafood that supports U.S. fishing communities. Using a traditional harvest and packing method, we offer the highest quality, all-natural, canned albacore tuna products on the market. All of our fish are caught by U.S. flagged vessels and are packed at canneries in the U.S.
Our albacore tuna is caught one-by-one by pole & line and troll fishers – the most environmentally and socially responsible way to catch tuna. These boats fish in the Pacific Ocean, and when it comes to traceability, we can trace every can of tuna right back to the fishing vessel that caught it.
We don’t add any water, vegetable broth or other fillers to our products. Our tuna is hand filleted & hand hand-packed at artisanal canners in Oregon and Washington – then cooked just once, in the can. Our salmon products are also cooked just once at our canners in Alaska and Oregon. We recommend not to drain, to retain all the flavor and nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids.
Our products are consistently highly ranked – rated as “Best Specialty Tuna” by Bon Appétit and the “Winner” of America’s Test Kitchen tasting. We started in just two Whole Foods Markets in our hometown of San Diego and have since expanded into Whole Foods locations nationwide as well as many other organic markets, stores, restaurants, and deli’s.
Our Community
As well as sustainable and responsible sourcing of our fish, we pride ourselves in supporting coastal communities. The West Coast of the U.S. is reliant on this fishery to support the small ports and towns that make up this beautiful coastline. Purchasing American Tuna contributes to the local economies of these coastal communities and supports the preservation of these traditional fishermen and artisanal canneries right here in the U.S.
Local Sourcing
Our fish is always responsibly sourced. American Tuna purchases our tuna from the MSC-certified sustainable North Pacific Pole & Line albacore fishery operating off the west coast of the United States – the first tuna fishery in the world to obtain MSC certification. Our wild-caught salmon is primarily sourced from the MSC-certified sustainable Alaskan fishery, as well as the coastal waters and river systems of Oregon and Washington. All our seafood is caught by US-flagged vessels, supporting US fishing communities.
Mercury & Nutrition
We are often asked about the mercury content of our tuna. Mercury is naturally present and accumulates up the ocean food chain – research shows that older and larger fish will typically have a higher mercury content.
Our albacore tuna is caught near the surface of the ocean using the sustainable “One-by-one” Pole & Line or Troll methods. These methods catch fish which are smaller and younger and have accumulated lower levels or mercury than larger, older fish which tend to live in deeper water. This means that our tuna is naturally lower in mercury, and we verify this through annual testing at independent laboratories.
We also use independent laboratories to conduct annual nutritional testing of our products. From an overall nutritional standpoint, both tuna and salmon are a good source of protein and a valuable source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.
