Welcome to the Estevan BC Tuna web site. We are a family based
fishing business located in the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island,
British Columbia specializing in British Columbia Wild Albacore
Tuna.
We catch our tuna in the pristine deep waters of the North
Pacific Ocean off the coasts of British Columbia, Washington and
Oregon. We harvest and sell premium-quality, chilled, and flash
frozen-at-sea Albacore tuna that has been filleted and vacuum-packed
in a HAACP-approved plant.
Formerly sold only to discerning restaurants, our tuna loins are
now available to the public, either individually, in vacuum-packed
bags, at both the Comox Valley and Vancouver Farmers’ Markets from
April to December, or in 30 pound boxes at highly-competitive
wholesale tuna prices. For boxed orders we deliver free anywhere on
Central Vancouver Island.
We are able to sell so competitively priced because there are no
middlemen. We catch the fish, we sell the fish. Many consumers are
concerned about seafood sources today. Buying our tuna provides you
with ultimate traceability as well as a great price.
For current pricing and orders, please contact us: Email:
or phone Bruce at 250–334-7648.
Our own premium quality, troll-caught B.C. Albacore tuna is now
available in pull-tab cans for extra convenience.
Gourmet canned albacore
hand-filleted
hand-packed
pull-top lids - no can-opener needed
no salt added - healthy choice
only ingredient is pure albacore tuna
canned at St. Jeans Cannery in Nanaimo, B.C.
certified HAACP Process
full CFIA approval
100% Canadian Food Product
180 grams (6.2 oz.) tins
available in 24-can cases
only rave reviews from our customers!
Buy a case and save $54.00! 24-can case of gourmet tuna for only
$90.00 ($3.75) per can. These exceptional-quality cans retail in
local stores for over $6.00 each.
Easy shipping by Canada Post right to your address. One case
shipping charges examples are $12.00 to Vancouver, British Columbia,
and only $17.00 to Slave Lake, Alberta. No extra handling charges
added!
To order right now, please contact: Email:
or phone Bruce at 250–334-7648.
Belly and Back Loins The Albacore tuna that we catch off the British Columbia coast
usually weigh between 12 and 20 pounds The fish are quartered
lengthways when they are filleted, producing four loins per fish,
two belly and two back pieces. All the loins are skinless and will
weigh between .75 and 2.0 pounds.
The two belly pieces are rich in valuable Omega-3 fatty acids and
are prized for sushi. They may contain a few small bones at the
abdominal cavity crease, which are easily felt with the fingers and
pulled out or trimmed out in a vertical cut with a small sharp
knife. The back pieces are boneless and sometimes preferred for
barbecuing because of their more compact triangular shape that
doesn’t include the belly flap. An equal number of bellies and backs
are included in our 30 lb. wholesale cases unless custom ordered
otherwise.
We also sell whole and cut fish. Our whole fish are sold in
the round or cut vertically along the length of the fish into steaks
(approximately 2 inches thick), or to order for canning purposes.
There are approximately 8 steaks in a 15-pound fish. Other cuts to
order can be done.
For current pricing and orders, please contact us:
or phone Bruce at 250–334-7648. Fax 250 334 2929
A 30 pound case of premium quality Albacore Tuna Loins @ $8.50
lb. is $255 per box. Prices will be subject to change depending on
dock prices.
Please phone for individual orders. Individual vacuum packs and
cold-smoked tuna are also available at the Comox Valley and
Vancouver Farmers’ Markets, as well as at the Royston Mini-Mart,
Courtenay Country Market (across from Sunnydale Golf Course) and
Qualicum Bulk Foods.
Please give us a call: Bruce or Dianne @ 250-334-7648
Email: FAX: 250-334-2929
Nutritionally, British Columbia Albacore Tuna is 100% wild food,
high in protein, low in carbohydrates and very high in the “good”
fatty acid, Omega-3. They are also packed full of selenium, a
heavy-hitting mineral antioxidant that is lacking in most North
American diets due to its depletion in the soil by modern
agricultural techniques. Nutritional testing is done on a regular
basis by the CHMSF (Canadian Highly Migratory Species Foundation).
Our tuna has also been given a Health Check rating by the Canadian
Heart and Stroke Foundation Health Check Program.
The albacore tuna that we catch off the West Coast are in the three
to four year class, making them relatively young fish. As such, they
have very small accumulations of mercury and other contaminants.
Mercury analysis carried out regularly by the CHMSF has consistently
shown average Mercury levels to be in the 0.1656 parts per million
range, 66% below 0.5 ppm set as a regulated acceptable level by the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and 83% below USFDA safety
standards. These results, combined with those of our American
counterpart agency, have resulted in the removal of cautions to
pregnant women and children regarding consumption of Albacore tuna
from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.
The M.V. Estevan is a proud member vessel of the CHMSF’s Platinum
Quality Control Program. We follow strict criteria for the
harvesting and onboard storage of our fish. We use a combination of
two barbless hooks inside a colourful hula type skirt forming a jig
which resembles a squid, tuna’s favourite food. We tow ten of these
jigs behind the boat at a speed of about six knots. Once a tuna
bites the jig, we haul them astern using hydraulic tuna haulers and
bring them aboard individually. The fish are then stunned and bled
and placed in a chill tank on deck, which lowers their body
temperature to 35°F. Tuna maintain a body temperature 10 to 15
degrees above the ocean temperature so it is important to cool them
quickly so they have no time to build up histamines. After two to
three hours, the tuna are lowered into the freezer hold and flash
frozen to a temperature of -30°F. The Estevan holds about 25,000
pounds, and when the hold is full, we go to shore and unload to a
cold storage facility which can keep the tuna at a controlled
temperature of –28°F indefinitely. Using these careful criteria
ensures the premium quality of our fish every step of the way.
Using surface jig hooks to catch Albacore tuna minimizes ocean
environmental impact. With this method there is zero by-catch of
dolphin, shark or other species and no impact on the ocean floor.
The only species caught on barbless hooks is Albacore tuna.
This selective method of fishing has allowed British Columbia
Albacore Tuna to accrue several approvals by very respected
organizations:
BC Albacore Tuna has been green-listed as a "Best Choice"
seafood product on Canada’s Seafood Guide,
www.seachoice.org
It has been approved as a “green fishery” on the Audubon
Society’s “Good Choice” Seafood Wallet Card.
• The David Suzuki Foundation has approved our fishery as being
sustainable.
In 2006, British Columbia Albacore Tuna was accepted by the
Ocean Wise Program of the Vancouver Aquarium.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium also approves troll-caught
Albacore tuna as being environmentally friendly on their “Best
Choice for a Healthy Ocean” list.
Our tuna loins (fillets) are sashimi grade, meaning you can slice
and eat raw, making them the ultimate convenience meal for
health-conscious busy people, or they can be cooked quickly in a
variety of ways for virtually everybody!
Tuna can be seared, barbecued, baked, steamed and fried, as well
as cured in citrus juice or rolled au naturel in a favourite sushi
recipe. Before cooking, tuna should be thoroughly thawed. With a
mild taste and a lovely colour that turns from rosy pink to ivory
white when cooked, tuna is appealing to children and goes well with
a variety of spices. Please refer to our
tuna recipes
section for some great ideas on how to prepare your tuna.
In order to ensure top quality within the fishery, the fishing
fleet, buyers, processors and marketers formed the Canadian Highly
Migratory Species Foundation (CHMSF) in June 2002. Some of their
initiatives include:
Funding attendance of Federal scientists at international
meetings on the management of Albacore Tuna, providing a
Canadian voice in the management of tuna and other migratory
species in international scientific forums,
Initiating the first industry based Mercury Testing Program
in 2002
Producing the first Canadian Pacific Albacore Tuna Logbooks
in 2003 to assist the Department of Fisheries in sustainable
Albacore tuna management,
Supporting many promotional events for British Columbia
Canadian seafood such as “British Columbia Seafood sensations,”
“Taste of BC” and the “ European Seafood Exposition” held in
Brussels,
Launching the CHMSF Platinum Quality Assurance Program in
2004 with the aim of ensuring safe harvesting and handling of
tuna products,
Creating a CHMSF Platinum Quality Control Manual for
industry use in 2005,
Initiating Omega 3 testing in Albacore Tuna as well as
expanded mercury testing,
Licensing British Columbia Albacore Tuna as a Health Check
product in the Heart and Stroke Foundation for Canada Health
Check Program.
CHMSF continues to be very active in international scientific and
management forums and promotional events educating the public about
the health benefits of eating BC Albacore Tuna.
About the CHMSF Platinum Quality Assurance
Program
One of the most exciting and worthwhile projects of the CHMSF is
the development of the Platinum Quality Assurance Program.
Components of the program include the following:
Undertaking that Canadian Albacore Tuna continues to be a
sustainable fishery under treaty and international management,
Mandatory protocols for handling, freezing at sea, and low
temperature storage,
The use of barbless hooks on troll gear for zero
environmental impact on the ocean
The M.V. Estevan is an enthusiastic member of this program.
Of course it is easy to check out our product via our email ,
phone 250-334-7648, or Fax 250-334-2929. However, if you would like
to check it out in person…
Bruce and Dianne Devereux started selling Albacore tuna at the Comox
Valley Farmer’s Market in the fall of 2006 and have steadily built
up a faithful clientele of Albacore tuna aficionados in the past
year. Thank-you, loyal customers! Really, once tried, the product
sells itself so it has been a fun and rewarding experience for us.
The Comox Valley Farmers’ Market is a wonderful venue for
food-lovers and vendors alike, with a friendly, small-town-square
atmosphere, excellent products, knowledgeable source vendors and
some great local music. There is everything for sale there from
apples to wasabi, delicious baked goods to venison pepperoni and
wild-caught salmon, as well, of course, as our premium quality, wild
BC Albacore tuna.
The Saturday Market is located on the grassy field beside the
Exhibition Grounds at 4835 Headquarters Road, Courtenay, British
Columbia between 9AM and noon, April to Thanksgiving. This market
then moves indoors to the Native Sons Hall at 360 Cliffe Avenue,
downtown Courtenay, until the last Saturday before Christmas.
The Wednesday summer market is located in Simms Park across from
Lewis Park on the east side of the 5th Street bridge and runs from
June to the end of September. For more information, visit the web
site at
www.ComoxValleyFarmersMarket.com
Bruce also started selling Albacore tuna in the fall of 2006
at the West End Market in Vancouver on Saturdays 9AM to 2PM
and the White Rock Farmers’ Market on Sundays from 9 AM to
1PM. For exact locations and details visit the web site at
http://www.EatLocal.org
In the past two years we have supplied Tuna Loins, Whole Fish,
and Cut fish from Campbell River to Victoria, to many fine
restaurants, hotels and lodges. Delivery is prompt orders can be
made by phone, fax or email.
The Tuna is caught by us, and any processing is done in licensed
facilities with full HAACP Program for quality control, all federal
and provincial license requirements are met and current.
This is the ultimate traceability of food supply to your customer.
For any Shellfish we work with:
Whaletown Bay Oysters
Cortes Island Grown
Inspected and Certified
For Albacore Tuna Orders:
Bruce Devereux
250 334 7648
Fax 250 334 2929
Email:
Yes, they have always been here, in offshore waters, during the
summer months
How far off the coast are Albacore Tuna caught?
Depending on the time of the season Albacore are fished between 50
and 100 miles offshore, in a deep-water open ocean environment.
Later in the summer they sometimes follow warm ocean currents to
within 10 miles of headlands.
How big are the tuna you catch?
The tuna caught off the West Coast are usually between 12 and 20
pounds. Occasionally larger ones are caught up to 40 pounds.
How big is the boat?
Our boat is 50 feet long, making it a very modest and fuel efficient
size for an offshore going vessel.
How many crew are on the boat?
Two or three people are usually on the boat.
When is tuna season?
Albacore Tuna is usually caught between June and October.
I didn’t know you could catch tuna in British Columbia. What
other varieties are there?
Albacore tuna is the only variety of tuna that is fished
commercially in B.C.
Why is tuna not available fresh?
Tuna swim in warm water and their body temperature is above ocean
temperature. It is a long way in to offloading facilities on shore;
therefore they can spoil quickly. Frozen-at-sea quality is best.
What is Ahi?
Ahi is the Hawaiian word for ‘tuna’ and can refer to a variety of
species from skipjack to yellow-fin. Albacore tuna (Thunnus Alalunga)
is generally marketed under its specific species name.
Bruce’s current boat, the "Estevan", started its career as
"Lorraine C" in Newport, Oregon. A Wahl-designed vessel with classic
West Coast lines, it was built in 1973 and it was mostly used as an
Albacore tuna boat stateside. When Bruce brought it up from Oregon
in 2005, it was ready for a major overhaul, which was done with
vital body parts from a ship-wrecked sister vessel, “Larissa” from
BC. The transformation took place at Shelter Island Marina and the
boat was reborn as the "M.V. Estevan", a graceful, solid and
serviceable wooden Canadian tuna vessel having an overall length of
50 feet.
CANADIAN ALBACORE TUNA is proudly harvested by over 240 members
of the British Columbia tuna fleet and processed in British
Columbia, Canada. The CHMSF is currently conducting an international
recipe contest; check out their website:
http://www.CanadianAlbacoreTuna.com
For current pricing and orders, please contact us:
Bruce at 250–334-7648
Email:
Fax: 250-334-2929
*Frozen-at-sea tuna is available year
round.
Call now: 250-334-7648 Email: FAX: 250-334-2929
Estevan Tuna 4098 Gartley Point Road Courtenay, British Columbia
V9N 9T2 Canada
