than that of albaccre, 'bluefin, skipjack, or yellowfin. Because of this, 

 "bonito are considered less desirable and tring a lower price. Bonito are 

 small, ranging A'om 6 to 8 pounds each.. They are coastal fish, occuring in 

 schools at varying distances from the coast in temperate waters. In California 

 honito axe found principally off the coast of southern California and the 

 northern half of Lower California. Bonito are taken throughout the yesir 

 principally by trolling, live-bait gear and with purse seines. Eetrly in 1953 

 a price of $195 per ten was established in the Pacific CSoast Area for these fish, 



Yellowtail (Seriola dorsalis) 



The Pacific yellowtail is considered a tunalike fish, and, like bonito, 

 the canned pack is included in statistics shov/ing the production of "tuna and 

 tunalike fishes". However, yellowtail are not tuna, but members of the jack 

 family ( Carang^c^ap H- which includes the jack mackerel, the scad, and many other 

 tropical species. They cannot be labeled "tuna" but must be designated "yellow- 

 tail". Their range is from Central California, south along the Mexican coast 

 into the Gulf of Csilifornia. Tlie commercial catch is made from Point Concep- 

 tion south to the tip of Lower California. While the largest catches are made 

 between June and September, yellowtail can be taken during the entire year, 

 off Mexico. 



Yellotail are an important sport fish in Southern California and most of 

 the catch north of the Mexican border is made by sportsmen. In recent years, 

 only about one percent of the commercial catch has been taken north of the 

 Mexican border. Yellowtail are taken principally with hook and line generally 

 with live bait and with purse seines. Early in 1953 a price of $185 per ton 

 was established in the Pacific Coast Area for yellowtail. . 



Little Tuna (Euthynnus alletteratus ) 



Little tuTia are found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United 

 States and in the Caribbean area. They sxe closely related to skipjack, 

 and are one of the specios properly classed as tuna. Little tuna are pelagic 

 fish of the warm seas, averaging about 10 pounds in weight, but may reach 20 

 poundSo They are bluish or greenish on the upper portions of the body, shading 

 to a light, silvery color below. In recent years, the major portion of the 

 commercial catch has been taken in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and North 

 Carolina. Until a few years ago, litte tuna were marketed only as fresh fish. 

 There was little demand for them and the catch was of relatively minor im- 

 portance. In 19^6, an east coast packer began canning litte tuna and marketing 

 them as tuna. Although the catch of little tuna has not exceeded 1 million 

 pounds in any year, there are indications that considerable quantities occur 



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