Especial Tuna: Home-Canned Albacore Specialtyff

When commercial fisherman Roger Kamb caught a bumper crop of albacore tuna off the Pacific Northwest coastline in 1990, he decided to try his hand at canning the sushi-grade fish.

His canned tuna was an instant hit among family and friends, and he continued canning for more than a decade before deciding to sell the tuna.

Two years ago, Kamb began selling his canned tuna at farmers markets in Arizona, his home when he's not fishing on the F-V Portlock.

This year, Kamb already has sold nearly 9,000 cans.

Unlike other canned tuna, Especial Tuna is canned without soy, vegetable broth, preservatives or water. The all-natural tuna comes in several varieties, including tuna with olive oil, smoked tuna and tuna with jalapeños.

The cold water off Oregon and Washington produces fish firm in texture and high in fat, a rich source of omega-three acids. Kamb catches his fish by hook and line, not nets.

”Just taste the canned tuna and you know we are doing things right,” he said.

Especial Tuna sells for about $4 for a 7.5-ounce can.