Hawaiian Island Yellowfin and Bigeye Tuna belong to stocks which migrate long distances across the Pacific Ocean, so their availability is year-round but can be hit or miss at times. Yellowfin and Albacore Tuna have heavier landings in the Spring and Summer moths (March through July), while the heavier Bigeye (Mebachi) catches happen in the fall and winter months (October – March).
After being sustainability caught and boarded by the Commercial Long-Liners, the fish are dressed then immediately submerged in an ice-seater brine to bring down the core temperature of the fish. It is optimal to always bring the body temperature down just above freezing as quickly as possible. The fish stay in the slurry, always belly down so that the blood can drain out of it. If done properly with no fluctuations in temperature, a high percentage of the catch will be graded as #1. Not only does this process ensure a great product for the end user, but it also behooves the fishermen to generate the best quality fish possible to maximize the value of the catch. The fish is then individually packed on ice. As with all seafood products, conscientious handling and proper icing of tuna are pre-requisites for a high-quality Ahi product. When the vessel arrives into port and the fish is off loaded, the head and tail are removed, and the fish will undergo their first grading process. Each shipment of fish is sent with a grading report. The skin color and appearance can be some indication of quality, but more important is the quality of the flesh.
The major quality factors over which fisherman have control include: freshness (which varies with length of fishing trips and initial handling of the catch); initial handling (rough handling, dragging, bending or dropping will ruin the general appearance of the fish, as well as cause the flesh to lose its firm consistency or to crack); and, time the fish is left in the water after capture (too long a time will bleach out the original bright body colors and cause a loss of flesh color. The initial quality of the tuna when hooked is not under the control of the fisherman. Many natural factors influence the initial quality.
Hawaiian Tuna Buyers look for the following indicators of good quality in fresh whole tuna:
A second inspection and certification is conducted by lining-up all of the sold tunas on the auction floor room, and taking a small half-moon shaped sample from the smallest diameter of the fish, which is the tail. The tail is the first place to chill down, so it should be the best-looking part of the fish. Next, a core sample is taken from right underneath the fin all the way through the belly. This is the last part to chill, and the last to go bad, making it a great indication of quality. A long metal instrument called a “Sashibo” is pierced into the flesh to extract a sample. The Tuna is then given a rating of #1 The Best, 2+ Slightly Less than #1, #2 Grade or AAA grade. There are very small percentage of Tuna’s that are given a #1 rating and the rest of the catch will be #2s and 2+ as the AAAs are not purchased by wholesalers.
Determining the Quality and overall grades are determined by these (5) indicators:
Color: Is a direct indicator of health
Translucency: Determines how clean the environment was
Water Content: Dictates a nice sticky, hearty product, with a long shelf life. You can expect 7-10 days if chilled.
Fat Content:Will determine your flavor experience giving you that buttery sweetness.
PH Level: Is an indication of flavor balance. Too little, then there’s no flavor. Too high and it tastes burnt.
The Yellowfin and Bigeye Tuna purchased and sold by Hawaiian Seafood is sustainable and is not currently a species of concern in the region. Unlike the majority of imported tuna from other parts of the world, which is beat up and dragged, color parched, frozen and almost always treated with carbon monoxide to make it pink. Not ours! With Hawaiian Seafood, your fish is guaranteed to be fresh, right out of the ocean and deserving of our reputation and namesake.
