Columbia and landings have "been made in Alaska. In recent years from a thiid 

 to a half of the United States catch has "been taken off Mexico. 



Altacore are taken almost exclusively with hooks, either through the use 

 of troll lines or on live-bait gear. In 1952 the domestic catch of altacore 

 sold in the Pacific coast area for $350 per ton diiring most of the season, 

 advancing to $^25 per ton late in the year, 



Bluefin (ihunnus thynnus) 



Bluefin occur in toth. the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. On the Pacific 

 coast they are foiind from Point Conception, California, south to Peru, and 

 westward to Hawaii, Japan, and Australia. Pacific "bluefin atteiin a weight 

 of over 250 pounds. The minimum legal size limit for the commercial catch 

 in California is 7^ po-'onds. The average size ca\aght ranges from 20 to 40 

 pounds. In addition to its importance commercially, "bluefin are a famous 

 game fish in "both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, In the Western Atlantic, 

 they occur in the Cari'b"bean and from off the Chesapeake Bay States to New- 

 foundland, They are also found in the Mediterranean and off the Atlantic 

 Coast of Europe, where large catches are made "by French, Portuguese, Italian, 

 and recently "by Norwegian fishermen. Atlantic tluefin reach a weight of 

 1,500 pounds. Fish of 400 pounds are common on "both, sides of the Atlantic. 



On the Pacific Coast where most of the domestic catch of "bluefin is 

 made, they are caught principally "between May and August. Only occasional 

 catches are made during the winter months. They are taken off the Southern 

 Ceilifornia coast and south to "below the tip of Lower Ceilifomia. On the 

 Atlantic Coast, "bluefin are taken during the, summer and fall from June to 

 Octo"ber. 



On the Pacific Coast "bluefin are taken almost exclusively with purse 

 seines. The Atlantic iSoast catch is taken with a variety of gear principally 

 lines, harpoons, pound nets, and floating traps. Early in 1953 a price of 

 $310 per ton was established for Pacific coast "bluefin. The 1952 Atlantic 

 coast catch sold to canners was valued at a"bout 12^^ per pound. 



Skip .lack (Katsuwonus pelamis) 



While skipjack are the smallest of the commercial tunas, they are pro"b- 

 a"bly the most ahxindant. Known also as "striped tuna", they may "be dis- 

 tinguished "by four or five dark stripes which extend horizontally along the 

 lower side of the "body. Skipjack in the commercial catch usioally weigh from 

 4 to 20 poTinds. California regulations prohi'bit the landing of skipjack 



8 



