NWWC TUNA REPORT: After the catch: tuna care 101
NEW July 21, 2009 / 4:40 p.m

GARIBALDI, Ore. - Even though the albacore tuna limit in tuna is the definition of “generous”, that doesn’t mean that every tuna trip has to result in a deck loaded with dead albacore.

“We need to be responsible fisherman,” says Oregon Tuna Classic organizer Del Stephens. “Only catch as many fish as you can use.”

That seems like an obvious statement, but don’t let a wide-open bite determine how many fish your going to catch. Instead, pick a reasonable number of fish that your crew and you can handle, and aim for that goal.

Tuna Biology 101: To insure that you have the highest quality albacore for your family and you to enjoy, it all starts when you’re on the water. Albacore that hasn’t been rapidly cooled and handled properly will taste bad and can cause Scombroid Poisoning.

An albacore’s body temperature runs, on average, 25 degrees warmer than the water it was caught in. The longer an albacore is fought or left to thrash on deck, the higher its body temperature will be.
When an albacore is working hard, it produces adenosine triphosphate and lactic acid. When that fish dies, enzymes start to break down the adenosine triphosphate, resulting in acidic meat that tastes stale. Those same enzymes start to break down the amino acid histidine to histamine (albacore and other tunas have large amounts of histidine in their flesh).

When humans eat fish containing histamine, we become ill with Scombroid Poisoning. So it really pays to take care of your catch once it comes to gaff.

“Once I gaff the fish, I’ll leave the fish on the gaff so I can remove the hooks and make one cut to the gills on each side,” says Stephens. “I’ll then put the fish into a ‘bleed bucket’ for 10 to 20 minutes.”

The Giant Slurpee: A 30-gallon garbage can or a 100-quart cooler work well for bleed buckets.

“I don’t let blood or guts get into the water I’m fishing,” suggest Stephens. “It’ll only attract sharks, and sharks can turn off a bite in a hurry. Once the fish is bled out, I’ll put the tuna into a ice slurry. If you want to gut the tuna before placing in the slurry, it’ll really help cool the fish fast.”

Stephens' recipe for a good ice slurry is:

• 1 pound of Kosher Salt
• 4 bags of cubed ice
• 10 gallons of seawater

Stephens’ recipe works for every 100-quarts of fish storage.

“Once the fish is in the slurry, you can leave it overnight and clean the fish in the morning,” he says. “In fact, it’s much easier to clean the next morning, since the flesh has firmed up and you’re well rested.”

C & R carefully: Once your crew and you reach your goal for the day, you can still continue to catch and release fish.

“Just like any other catch-and-release fishery, we need to be responsible and respect the fish,” Stephens says. “Don’t tear up the fish when landing – use a net or release them in the water.”

When releasing albacore, it’s completely different than a salmon or steelhead that need to be resuscitated. Throwing the fish headfirst into the water - just like a torpedoe - is the best way to release an albacore, and is the recognized release method for all tuna.

-Andy Schneider