On the West Coast, the season typically begins mid-June as this highly migratory species makes a counter-clockwise journey from Japan to Mexico, then north along the West Coast.

Commercial landings amounting to at least 500 metric tonnes have already been recorded in California and Oregon.

Our latest pulse suggests tuna may have reached B.C. waters, with over 75 vessels hailed into the fishery and fishing guides heading out.

After 2023’s record-low harvest, the 2024 season saw a rebound with over 7,500 MT landed between Canada and the U.S. - bringing harvests back toward normal volumes although still below both 5 and 10 year averages.

In 2024, treaty access let Canadian vessels fish U.S. waters - including Oregon, Washington, and Alaska - offering key flexibility as tuna moved north.

With no treaty in place for 2025, fleets are confined to national waters, likely limiting harvests, tightening supply, and keeping prices elevated.



Despite tight supply, Canadian Albacore remains a premium white-meat tuna with low mercury, high Omega-3s, and MSC certification since 2010.

With recertification underway, it continues to lead in markets prioritizing sustainability, nutrition, and traceability.

Globally, supply remains tight as depleted inventories and strong demand quickly absorbed the catch.

Prices remain high, with continued upward pressure possibly into Q3 and Q4.

While buyers in North America, Europe, and Japan are pushing back, limited availability of premium white-meat albacore - especially in fresh and frozen loins - is keeping prices firm, driven by demand for quality, traceability, and clean-label sourcing.

Japan is the top harvester of North Pacific albacore, landing 35,000 to 45,000 MT annually via its year-round longline fishery, with peak season from spring to autumn.

Japan retains most of its albacore catch for domestic use, exporting only 10,000–12,000 MT, mainly to East Asia and Europe.

This limited export volume strains global supply as demand for certified, low-contaminant, sashimi-grade albacore continues to rise.



Lastly, it's important to note that global markets feature both North Pacific and South Pacific Albacore Tuna.

Despite sharing the same scientific name, they differ significantly in flavor, texture, and price.

Our recommendation is to secure North Pacific Albacore supply early - particularly premium Canadian product with MSC certification - as global availability remains tight, treaty limitations constrain harvests, and pricing is expected to trend higher through Q4.

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