Tuna
Tuna (Thunnus) comprise fifteen species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly. The largest of the tuna are the bluefin. Tuna of several species are fished at the California Channel Islands:
- Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) live up to 25 years
- Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) have sickle-shaped anal and second dorsal fins
- Albacore (Thunnus alalonga) have long pectoral fins that reach behind the anus.
The Tuna Club, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island was officially founded on June 15, 1898 by biologist, author and sportsman, Charles Frederick Holder and friends. Its founding was prompted by Holder’s June 1, 1898 historic catch by rod and reel of a 183-pound bluefin tuna.
In the News~
August 24, 1904 [SBMP]: “That tuna, the great game fish that infests the waters about Santa Catalina Island, are plentiful in this channel was demonstrated Monday when Reverend Warren D. More and a party of friends encountered a large school of these monsters a short distance beyond the kelp line... Captain Gourley, who had the party out, reports that tuna can be seen in the channel during most of the summer months.”
September 22, 1904 [SBMP]: “Flying fish have been seen in large numbers lately, and it is the only bait that tempts the big tuna...”
November 20, 1904 [SBMP]: “Tuna caught in the channel. The fact that large tuna can be caught in the channel can no longer be disputed. Yesterday Jesse L. Hendricks, captain of the Potter boat Frances, brought in a regulation tuna, weighing 117 pounds…”
June 14, 1905 [SBMP]: “There is no need of confining tuna fishing to the waters of Catalina. The same fish may be found in the Santa Barbara channel, and the one reason they have not been caught here is that the fishermen have not understood the methods of their capture. Captain Merry of the Vishnu contributes the following facts in connection with the sport... flying fish necessary for bait...”
October 24, 1908 [SBMP]: “Tuna fishing, a sport that has made Catalina Island famous, is the title of a picture taken in Sicily and which will be shown at La Petite Theatre tonight.”
July 21, 1909 [LAH]: “Avalon, July 20. Flying signals of distress, and their launch, Cornell, half full of water, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Robinson of the Boston department store were picked up off the west end of San Clemente Island by Captain George Romans of the launch Ramona early this morning. On board the sinking launch with Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were C. H. Knapp of Seabreeze, Florida, and H. C. Davidson of Los Angeles. A large hole had been made in the launch Cornell as it had passed over a sunken reef. At the time of the mishap Mr. Robinson was steering the boat, while Captain Cornell was attending to some minor details of the engine room. The Cornell was abandoned and the party arrived safely at Avalon from Clemente late this evening. They are now quartered at the Metropole. Three days ago Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, with Mr. Davidson and Mr. Knapp as their guests, chartered the launch Cornell for a trip to Clemente. They were in search of bluefin tuna. Owing to the fact that Mr. Robinson was steering against the sun, he had not seen the reef over which the launch passed. The boat will probably be a total wreck. An effort will be made to float it if possible tomorrow. The Cornell was valued at $3000 and would probably weigh five tons. During the trip the party caught several varieties of large fish, including black sea bass, yellowtail and albacore.”
August 31, 1909 [SBI]: “Guests at the Potter Hotel are given convincing evidence that leaping tuna abound in the Santa Barbara channel by a photograph of the three monster game fish caught by S. Larco’s fishermen last week. The card is tacked to a bulletin board near the hotel desk, and on the board in large letters is written, ‘Caught in Santa Barbara channel August 23.’ The sign has already attracted much attention.”
September 19, 1909 [LAH]: “Gifford Pinchot, United States forester, yesterday landed at San Clemente Island a swordfish weighing 180 pounds and measuring seven feet nine inches in length. Pinchot plated the monster for more than two hours from the launch Juanita, on standard tuna club tackle. The fish was taken to Avalon for the purpose of being mounted and recorded. Despairing of catching tuna at San Clemente Island the Pinchot party will put in the early part of the week angling for the gamey bluefin at Catalina. A large number of yellowtail, black sea bass, albacore and white fish have been taken by the party, although as yet no records have been broken.”
August 24, 1911 [SBMP]: “A genuine blue fin tuna, such as a member of the Catalina Tuna Club would be delighted to hook, was caught in the channel ten miles out from Santa Barbara yesterday by M. R. Burgin of 18 Carrillo Street, fishing from the deck of Captain Henry Short's powerboat, Charm.”
November 14, 1914 [LAT]: “Tuna are migrating south according to reports received from the islands in the Santa Barbara channel, where cannery fishing boats have been making headquarters for several weeks. On account of stormy weather few fishes have been received lately and the canneries have been closed most of the time. The big tuna seine recently introduced by the Van Camp Sea Food Company is proving a success, although fish have been too scarce to test it to full capacity. The only fish received today was about five tons caught in the big seine. On account of light gear the seine has been shortened to 300 fathoms in length.”
September 2, 1915 [LAT]: “A big fleet of tuna fishermen are at work about Santa Cruz Island and it is evident they have no fear of submarine warfare.”
August 21, 1917 [SBDN]: “The Seafarer cannery tender of the large tuna canneries of San Pedro came in this morning for supplies. The Seafarer is one of the tenders of the fleet of 300 fishing boats now off the east end of Santa Cruz Island. The fleet is following the great schools of albacore north along the coast.”
August 22, 1917 [SBDN]: “Threatening loss of life to the eight Japanese aboard, the fishing boat Summiyoshi, owned by the Halfhill Tuna Packing Company of Long Beach and on its way to Santa Cruz Island, went ashore late Monday at the mouth of the Santa Clara River… The boat was on its way to Santa Cruz where they fish for tuna and albacore…”
May 26, 1926 [TI/Avalon]: “A report from San Clemente Island Monday, stated that several schools of bluefin tuna had been seen near China Point, San Clemente Island.”
July 27, 1929 [SDET]: “Los Angeles — Two tuna weighing more than 100 pounds each, the largest caught this season, have been hooked off San Clemente Island. Mrs. George Martin, of Beverly Hills, landed the largest, a 109-pound fish, after George C. Thomas, also of Beverly Hills, hooked one weighing 104-1/2 pounds.”
