Living and working in Killybegs, Ireland’s premier fishing port for over 40 years has taught us a few things about premium seafood and Irish fish. Our family’s love for this fish has driven us to source Irish Albacore tuna and bring it to the Irish market. Irish Albacore Tuna is like no other. We know you will enjoy this new taste experience as much as we do. Albacore Tuna is one of the only tuna species fished by Irish fishermen off Ireland’s south west coast commercially. Our fishermen use traditional catch methods, alongside classic preparation & preservation in glass jars and tins, this ensures maximum freshness, flavour and taste. Moist and delicate, the soft pink flesh of the Albacore Tuna is different to that of other Tuna species. With their smooth, torpedo shaped, body, Albacore tuna are oceanic fish built for speed. They can travel as fast as 80km per hour. They are a member of the same family as Mackerel (Scombroides) and like them, they have to be constantly on the move in order to push water and oxygen onto their gills. Albacore Tuna occur in tropical and temperate waters of all the worlds oceans. Albacore is one of the smaller species of tuna, reaching sizes of up to 140cm, or 60kg, which is somewhere between the skipjack and yellowfin. Like all tuna, Albacore is a rich source of complete protein, selenium and vitamin B-12. Their soft pink flesh, however, is more moist and delicate than that of many other species of tuna. In addition, Albacore contains significantly more Omega-3 fats. Omega-3s normalise and regulate cholesterol levels and greatly reduce the risk of heart disease.
Furthermore, all of our tuna is hand-filleted and hand-packed in olive oil. Olive oil, like omega-3, has been shown to help prevent heart disease, as well as provide anti-oxidants that keep your hair and skin hydrated and healthy. Albacore Tuna is a migratory species living in tropical seas, but once a year make the journey north to breed. Always on the move, they first hit European waters around late July, and come within reach of our fishing fleet for only a short period every year. At the end of August, this fish is caught in very large numbers for just a few weeks. With the overall fishing quota set at 30,000 tonnes annually, with Ireland ‘s allocation being approximately 2,700 tonnes, we monitor the waters closely. All our fishermen are committed to preserving the natural ecosystem by fishing strictly within quota limits. Our tuna is caught by Irish fishermen when the fish is in season in August and September. Fresh Albacore Tuna can be enjoyed during this short window every year. You may be able to freeze some if you want to enjoy it a little longer but a much nicer result can be achieved by preserving it in jars with olive. Perfect to add to salads with a superb flavour that beats its canned rivals hands down. Maintaining healthy stock is vital, and so too is preserving the ecosystem by limiting the “by-catch” During the spring season, as warming starts, juvenile North Atlantic Albacore fish begin migrating to the northeastern Atlantic, to the Bay of Biscay, and on to the south east of Ireland, where our tuna are caught. Tuna are usually fished by pair-trawlers – two boats which operate by towing a single net between them and sharing the bounty. Net technology is improving year on year, with more environmentally friendly options and pingers to keep dolphins a safe distance from the nets. Smaller vessels will use line lures with baited hooks to catch quality fish. https://www.shinesseafood.ie
