How The Decline Of Sardines Led To The Rise Of Tuna

Open most American pantries, and there's likely to be at least one can of fish. Tuna has been big business in America since the early 20th century, and it is featured in classic dishes like creamy casseroles, cheesy melts, and, of course, tuna salad. But before the canned and pouch tuna era, the tinned sardine reigned supreme. What happened? A decreased availability of sardines (possibly due to overfishing) led to the advent of domestic canned tuna.

Albert Halfhill, founder of the Southern California Fish Company and often called the "Father of the Tuna Packing Industry," capitalized on the 1903 sardine shortage by expanding fishing operations to include other products like mackerel, barracuda, and tuna. The SCFC specifically fished white albacore tuna rather than the red tuna involved in sport fishing. The first batch of 200 cases of oil-packed albacore tuna was produced in 1908 and quickly gained fans on the East Coast. Six years later, The Los Angeles Times (via the Homestead Museum) called tuna "the chicken fish, as it might well be called on account of the whiteness and delicious flavor of its meat," which may be where its branding as "Chicken of the Sea" originated.

While sardines remained a pantry staple, tuna's popularity soared during World War I (1914-1918) when the United States fed its soldiers the shelf-stable food, paving the way for a post-war demand for the product. The convenient canned good's popularity continued to increase over the 20th century, although not without issue. Tuna sales dropped in the 1970s when it became known that canned tuna had high mercury levels, which can harm humans. The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) continued study of the effects of mercury from certain canned fish provides consumer education on the matter. Ironically, the sardine is at the bottom of the food chain, making it less likely to ingest mercury from other fish. It also lives a shorter life, which makes it purer.

Sales also decreased in the 1980s when the public realized fishing for tuna killed dolphins. Because tuna and dolphins often swim together in schools, dolphins frequently became collateral damage in tuna fishing operations. Now, canned tuna brands must meet specific fishing standards to be able to display "dolphin-safe" on their labels. Despite its ups and downs, the United States still consumes 31% of the world's canned tuna, according to the Tuna Council, and the retro tuna sandwich is still one of the most popular ways to enjoy the coveted fish.