Albacore Tuna: Welfare in Longline and Pole-and-Line Fisheries

Albacore tuna is caught by longlines and pole-and-line methods globally. Comparing welfare across these methods reveals important lessons for fishery reform.

Key Facts

Albacore is the only tuna legally sold as white meat canned tuna in the US
They migrate across entire ocean basins and can live up to 12 years
Albacore are caught by pelagic longlines, pole-and-line, and trolling
Pole-and-line fishing is considered more welfare-friendly but is less common than longlining
Albacore are deeply diving fish, reaching depths of 600 metres
Their populations in the South Pacific are considered overfished

Welfare Considerations

Longline-caught albacore may remain on hooks for 12-24 hours before line retrieval, experiencing sustained pain and exhaustion. Barotrauma from deep-diving behaviour and rapid retrieval causes internal injuries. In contrast, pole-and-line fishing results in faster capture and typically rapid brain-spiking or suffocation on deck — still welfare-imperfect but significantly faster than longlining. Trolling produces similar outcomes to pole-and-line. The welfare differential between these methods is substantial and provides a strong argument for consumer preference for pole-and-line caught albacore.

What You Can Do

Choose pole-and-line or troll-caught albacore whenever available
Check the fishing method on canned tuna labels — it is increasingly listed
Support campaigns to transition albacore fisheries from longlining to lower-impact methods
Advocate for mandatory on-vessel slaughter standards for commercially caught tuna