“THE ALBICORE (sic – aka. ALBACORE – ed.) – A FOOD FISH THAT IS RAPIDLY COMING INTO FAVOR – One-hundred and twenty-eight barrels, or 12,800 pounds (12.4 tons, 100 lbs. each barrel – ed.) of fish were shipped on the Pacific Steamship Company steamer ‘Santa Rosa’ Thursday night, bound for the HONOLULU market.
While this is only one of the many shipments made by the PORTUGUESE COLONY at LA PLAYA, it marks the rapid increase in the demand for a variety of food fish which a year ago was not handled. This new candidate for popular flavor is the *ALBACORE*. Last fall (i.e. 1891 – ed.) Mr. GEORGE MAGLEY, who worked up the Honolulu market for the Portuguese colony, sent (as an experiment) a few hundred pounds of San Diego fish to that market, and in reply received a standing order for ALL the men could catch. These albacore fish run about ten miles from the coast here, during the months of JULY, AUGUST, and SEPTEMBER, and are at present running in vast schools; and every boat which goes out returns laden to the guards. The fish average in weight from 40 to 80 pounds and are very gamey. A number of pleasure parties have lately gone out and reported a highly exciting time. The albacore is a member of the mackerel family.”
(*Source: San Diego UNION newspaper – Thursday, August 18, 1892 – Pg. 2)
*Editorial Note: A “new” food fish “coming into favor” begins shipping from San Diego – ALBACORE TUNA, caught seasonally, offered in barrels (pickled and/or salted) via local PA Mr. MANUEL F. CABRAL & Wholesaler Mr. M. T. FREITAS’ outlets in San Francisco. – *PLEASE NOTE: Mr. George Magley is pivotal in getting local Portuguese-caught fish aboard the Pacific Coast Steamship shipping lines and offered to that much, much larger Asian market via Hawaii.