“CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 123 
This fish is common in Japan, somewhat less so than in the Hawaiian 
Islands, and at times is reported to be not rare about the Santa Barbara 
Islands. It is not common enough to be of commercial importance, 
though a game fish of note. 
The Albacore (Thunnus alalunga). 
The albacore may be known at once from all of the other mackerels 
by the great length of the pectoral fins, which reach considerably past 
the front of the anal, and are about two-fifths of the entire length of 
the fish. It is dark steel blue on the back shading to silvery below. 
It is found in all warm seas and at certain seasons is common on the 
California coast, in Japan, and in the Mediterranean. On our Atlantic 
coast it is rare. On the California coast it occurs as far northward as 
San Francisco, though it has not been taken in abundance north of the 
Santa Barbara Channel. It is a fish of the high seas, and is not found 
Fig. 68. The albacore (Thunnus alalunga). 
in sheltered bays and rarely near shore. Its food is anchovies, sardines, 
squid, and small free-swimming fishes generally. It is most abundant 
from May to December, though it is taken in small numbers in other 
months. Nothing is known of its spawning habits or spawning 
erounds as yet on our Western coast. Individuals have been taken up 
to 70 or 80 pounds in weight, though the average is about 20 pounds. 
Very small ones are rarely seen on the California coast, though it has 
been taken as small as two or.three pounds in weight. Once an entire 
school of small ones was reported. 
As a food fish it has been little appreciated in America until within 
a very few years, when, canned under the name of tuna, it quickly 
beeame the most important fish in our state. This position it held 
until last year, when the sardine took the place of first importance. In 
Japan it is eaten raw. 
Though the albacore is taken in abundance the demand is greater 
than the catch. Perhaps when some method of netting it is invented 
the catch may be greater. Now it is taken only by hook and line. In 
the commercial fisheries it 1s attracted to the boats by a process known 
as chumming.* It is trolled for by power boats, and when a ‘‘strike’’ 
is made quantities of live anchovies, sardines or other fishes are thrown 
overboard with the hope of attracting the school of albacore to the boat. 
If the school appears fishing begins with strong, short poles, short lines 
*The term chumming is used on the Atlantic coast when ground bait or pieces of 
salt fish are used to attract a school of fish about the boat. Here it seems to be 
restricted to the use of live bait. 
BURLINGAME 
PUBLIC 
