Introduction
In Spain, Atlantic albacore tuna or white tuna takes the name Bonito del Norte. The affectionate name came about due to a number of factors. Where it is caught: off the north coast of Spain, in the Cantabrian Sea. Its economic importance in the region. And the fact that when the first of these highly-prized fish are landed it heralds the beginning of summer.
The costera
Bonito del Norte (Thunnus alalunga) is caught in the Bay of Biscay in the Cantabrian Sea over the summer months when it is in optimal condition with an ideal fat concentration. The albacore migrates from the Azores after feeding there over winter, moving to the Cantabrian Sea as the waters there warm, in search of schools of sardines and anchovies to prey on.
The albacore fishing season gets underway just as the Cantabrian anchovy fishing season closes. The tuna are caught when they swim relatively close to the Cantabrian coast, giving the fishing season its name: costera. The movement of the tuna from the Azores to the Cantabrian Sea is also sometimes referred to as the costera.
The fishing campaign usually lasts four months, from June to September. It can last longer, running from May to October, but can also finish in August if quotas are reached earlier. Boats from Galicia, Asturia, Cantabria and the Basque Country join the fishing campaign, and fishing crews can remain at sea for the full four months, away from friends and family. The longing for those at sea gave rise to the tradition of singing back on shore, at canneries like Olasagasti.
Fishing methods
The Bonito del Norte is caught pole and line. The lines are baited with sardines and anchovies (live baiting) or with artificial lures (trolling). Live-baiting occurs on stationary boats often off the Basque coast, and trolling from moving boats.
The tuna is caught selectively, one by one. This is a sustainable form of fishing because there is no wasteful and unwanted by-catch and the marine environment is not harmed. The flesh of the tuna isn't as prone to damage either as it can be when it is netted using purse seine (where a net is lowered into the water and closed) or pelagic trawling (when a net is dragged through the water between the ocean surface and the seabed). This area of the Cantabrian Sea has been certified sustainable by the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council).
When the Bonito del Norte is caught it falls into three categories of varying sizes: monos (3 to 5 kg), recortados (5 to 8 kg) and gordos (8 kg and more), the most highly prized.
Flavour and texture
The albacore’s meat is white with a delicate, mild flavour and soft, juicy texture. Albacore is a highly prized tuna. It is smaller than bluefin tuna and has a higher fat content than skipjack.
