Our commitment to sustainability is paramount to our business: 100% of our tuna is pole and line caught. Pole and line is the most sustainable catching method presently available and means catching fish by hand, one at a time.
No nets. One fish at a time.
Pole and line is a traditional fishing method that relies on individual fishermen using hand held poles. Pole and line fishing is highly selective, meaning that other marine animals are rarely caught, and if they do become caught can be returned to the ocean unharmed.
Under the Code, Sirena is committed to sustainability by: Ensuring 100% Pole and Line caught Yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) & Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) tuna is used across our entire product range. Not using purse seine or Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) to catch tuna for any of our product range.
Interesting to know: all the pole and line products (except Woolworths') are skipjack tuna, which is significantly lower in mercury than yellowfin (which Sirena is full of).
Most skipjack is caught by purse seine fishing: A ship unfurls a cylindrical net around a school of fish, closes the net from the bottom, and pulls it to the surface. The fishing vessel carries its tuna catch to a port at Kiribati, where it transfers the catch to a larger, refrigerated carrier vessel.
Q: Is canned tuna farm raised or wild caught? A: Tuna is a salt-water fish and found in the oceans throughout the world. Most commercially-available canned or pouch tuna is wild caught. Farm raised tuna is relatively new and there are very few tuna farms.
No. Canned tuna has never contained dolphin and/or mammal byproducts. Non-dolphin-safe canned tuna is a fishery product that has not been certified as meeting the U.S. definition of dolphin-safe.
Sirena Tuna is made with only the highest quality ingredients, including our premium oil blends and high specification tuna. Our commitment to sustainability is paramount to our business: 100% of our tuna is pole and line caught.
Over the past 60 years, Sirena's iconic yellow cans and mermaid logo have become synonymous with quality and amazing taste. The secret lies in Sirena's choice of the finest oil blends and flavoursome tuna loins from freshly caught yellowfin and skipjack tuna. Today, quality and sustainability go hand in hand at Sirena.
Skipjack and canned light tuna, which are relatively low in mercury, can be eaten as part of a healthy diet. However, albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna are high in mercury and should be limited or avoided.
It saves the lives of bycatch.
Pole and line fishing is selective, not indiscriminate. By targeting tuna specifically, and releasing bycatch immediately, no dolphins, sharks, turtles, etc.
Conversely, pole and line fishing (often used for tuna fishing) is a hooked line attached to a pole and uses various methods to attract the fish, including throwing bait and/or spraying water (giving the illusion that the water surface is alive with small fish) to attract the targeted fish species.
Best in breed
Look for pole- and-line-caught tuna, which are hooked one by one, avoiding by-catch. Think twice about yellowfin, which is generally less sustainable than skipjack. If the tin doesn't list the type of tuna, don't buy it. Brands with decent credentials include Fish 4 Eva, John West, Safcol and Sirena.
Canned light tuna is the better, lower-mercury choice, according to the FDA and EPA. Canned white and yellowfin tuna are higher in mercury, but still okay to eat. Bigeye tuna should be avoided completely, but that species isn't used for canned tuna anyway.
Australia's premium tuna
Today's Valmorbida family members continue to ensure Sirena meets the standards set more than 60 years ago. Their dream of a great tuna for all Australians remains a reality.
It can depend on where you fish along the coast, how big the tuna boat is, whether you're fishing inshore or offshore, what time of year it is and how good the captain is. You could quite possibly earn anything between $10,000 and $100,000 dollar a year depending on the different factors.”
Sirena Tuna Quality
Established in 1956 Sirena is still 100% Australian owned.
Which Type of Tuna Species is the Best to Eat? The three Bluefin tuna species are highly regarded as the best tuna type. The main reason is the unique balance between the protein and fat elements. The Bluefin tunas have a higher fat content, and their flesh is meatier than other species.
Sirena is an Australian brand of canned premium chunk style tuna which began as a passion for good food and a desire to share great tasting food with the community. After immigrating to Australia in 1949, Carlo Valmorbida and his family embarked on a project to bring Italy's best loved foods to Australia.
Not only is it lower in sodium and other additives, it's a good source of omega-3 fats and a great way to add protein to your lunch! Compared to canned fish, the vacuum-sealed pouches also have a fresher flavor and texture.
Chunk Light Tuna in Water.
Safe Catch Elite Tuna, simply the lowest mercury tuna of any brand.
A dolphin-safe label is intended to show compliance with U.S. laws and regulations of tuna fishing operations. The Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act (16 U.S.C. §1385) describes the conditions in which tuna product may be labeled dolphin-safe in the United States.
Despite improvements in techniques and in gear that have substantially reduced the number of dolphins killed in the ETP tuna fishery, thousands of dolphins are still killed each year.
I suspect the reason it isn't more readily available is that people are used to it being in the size of can you normally get it in and it's a popular size as a result. There's not enough demand for many shops to offer alternatives.