“In the beginning of California’s tuna fishing industry, ALBERT POWERS HALFHILL is often credited with being the first canner of white meat albacore tuna in California, if not America. Beginning with test batches processed at his CALIFORNIA FISH CO. at Long Beach, CA in 1903, and followed by formal marketing of it in 1906. Now (1930 – ed.), two sons of the late founder; Harry J. Halfhill (President) and his brother Charles P. Halfhill (Secretary) are carrying on that tradition; even if the albacore have decided to barely show themselves in the waters off the west coast of the America’s this year (and 1931, AND the previous FIVE years of the albacore take were “down” too!, although increased trade in Mexican lobsters [ex. HARRY MADRUGA & Capt. Louis Camillo] & swordfish helped many fishermen to “get through” – ed.). To “remedy” this “no albacore” situation, the Halfhill brothers have begun to IMPORT foreign albacore from JAPAN (some 400 tons already, with fully 50% of that processed just by Halfhill’s, & much more in following years) to can HERE in the United States. – This tariff-free importation of cheaper foreign tuna, welcomed as windfall profits for the canneries (but a bain to U.S. fishermen, and immediately controversial), this will continue for nearly 30 MORE YEARS, consistently undercutting the American tuna industry & causing a very long cycle of domestic & foreign political wrangling, etc. – ed.).
(*Source: West Coast Fisheries Magazine – May 1931 – Pg. 19-20)
**Editorial Note: Actually, the HALFHILL BROTHERS, Albert, Charles, and Harry, first started importing Japanese albacore into their California cannery in 1915. After selling their majority interest in the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FISH CO., they formed the HALFHILL TUNA PACKING COMPANY in mid-January 1915, which acquired a 22,500-square foot parcel at the third channel of nearby Long Beach Harbor for $8,7503. The CALIFORNIA FISH COMPANY, co-owned by Albert P. Halfhill, was the pioneer albacore tuna cannery.