albacore
Thunnus alalunga · Scombridae · predator
The white albacore, a tuna with extremely long pectoral fins, from cooler waters than the other albacores. A longline target in the Southeast and South and less common in recreational fishing.
Also called: albacora-branca, atum-branco, albacora, albacora-legítima, alvacora
- common size
- 70–110 cm
- maximum
- 140 cm
- common weight
- 8–25 kg
- record/max.
- 60.3 kg
- depth
- 0–400 m
- ideal water
- 15–20 °C
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the albacore
who is the albacore
The white albacore is a medium-sized oceanic tuna, recognized by its very long pectoral fins, which reach about 30% of body length in the larger fish. It prefers colder waters than the other albacores: it concentrates at thermal fronts, and large adults swim deeper. It forms mixed schools with other tunas and sometimes accompanies floating objects and sargassum. It eats fish, crustaceans, and squid. In Brazil it is caught mainly by pelagic longline in the Southeast and South, and the South Atlantic stock is managed by ICCAT, with a total catch limit. In recreational offshore fishing it appears in trolling and jigging over the slope. It has light-colored flesh, the most prized tuna meat for canning.
fun facts
- It is the most prized "white meat" for canned tuna.
- The pectoral fins can exceed 30% of the fish's length.
identification
Torpedo-shaped tuna, dark metallic blue back and silvery belly, with no clear stripes or spots. Pectoral fins very long, extending past the second dorsal fin. White trailing edge of the tail. Differs from the young bigeye tuna, which also has long pectorals but with a rounded tip, and from the yellowfin tuna by the absence of bright yellow sickle-shaped fins.
where found
Open sea, mainly in the Southeast and South, over the slope and beyond; in the Northeast, in deeper waters.
Habitat: Open sea, over the slope and beyond, at thermal fronts; schools of juveniles at the surface and adults deeper.
coast
states
Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul
when to fish
best season
Present all year in open sea; the position of thermal fronts matters more than the month.
best time of day
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Hunts by day, peaking at dawn and dusk.
what affects the albacore
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
It likes colder water than the other albacores.
atmospheric pressure
A cold front brings rough seas.
moon
Small effect.
rain
Not very sensitive.
water level
Follows thermal fronts and current lines.
noise
Not very sensitive in open sea.
wind
Rough seas prevent going out.
tide
No significant tide in the ocean; current is what matters.
depth
Juveniles at the surface; adults 50 to 300 m.
how to fish
- rod
- trolling 30 to 50 lb; jigging PE 3 to 5
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- 30 to 50 lb trolling baitcaster or 8000 to 14000 spinning reel
- line
- braided PE 3 to 6 or monofilament 30 to 50 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 60 to 100 lb, 2 m
- hook
- assist hooks 5/0 to 7/0; circle 7/0 to 9/0
lures
- lipped trolling plugs
- silicone squid and skirts
- 150 to 300 g jigs
natural baits
- live sardine
- lula
accessories
- fighting belt
- bicheiro
- surface thermometer
tip from an angler
Look for the change in water color and temperature (thermal front) and run your baits along it.
rules for the albacore
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026). The South Atlantic stock is managed by ICCAT, with a total catch limit. We have not found a federal minimum size for recreational fishing.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
If you are going to release it, keep the fight short, don't lift it out of the water, and release it with the boat moving slowly, head first.
in the kitchen
Light, soft flesh; excellent grilled, canned, and raw, if bled and chilled well.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01698, b = 3.01; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase — Thunnus alalunga (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 — Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Thunnus alalunga (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2026. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Thunnus alalunga (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 15/01/2021)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Collette, B. B.; Nauen, C. E. (1983). FAO species catalogue. Vol. 2. Scombrids of the world. FAO Fisheries Synopsis 125(2). Roma: FAO.
- technical ICCAT Manual, cap. 2.1.4 — Albacore (Thunnus alalunga). International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.Biology and fishery of the species in the Atlantic.
- scientific Carpenter, K. E. (org.) (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Roma: FAO.Scombridae chapter (Collette, B. B.), cited by FishBase for the species.
- scientific Figueiredo, J. L.; Menezes, N. A. (2000). Manual de peixes marinhos do sudeste do Brasil. VI. Teleostei (5). São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia da USP. 116 p.Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record on FishBase, which cites this work for the species.
similar species
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: