- Albacore are the only tuna allowed by the Food and Drug Administration to be marketed and sold as white meat. Because of this distinction, albacore is the most prized tuna meat in the United States.
- Albacore is considered inferior to other tuna meat in Japan for the exact same reason. Only some members of the billfish family (marlins, swordfish) and the mako shark are faster. Albacore have been recorded going over 55 knots.
- Close to 200,000 tons of albacore are harvested every year, most coming from the Pacific Ocean.
Fantail mullet (Mugil)
The fantail mullet is distinguished from the rest of the mullet family by a dark blotch at the base of the pectoral fin and the flared nature of their tail and fins. Additionally, the fantail mullet has an olive green back with blue tints towards the rear. The colors fade to silver on its side. The fins and tail are yellowish in color. The body is torpedo-shaped with two dorsal fins, one located over the anal fin. The fantail mullet is smaller than the rest of its family, generally weighing in at under a pound.
As scavenger fish, fantail mullet feed on whatever is available, mainly algae, detritus, and small crustaceans. They are primarily bottom-feeders, rooting for food in the sand or mud and straining unwanted materials with their teeth.
Found in almost any tropical sea worldwide, the fantail mullet is abundant in Florida and can be found in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic coasts of Central America, and Bermuda.
Mullet prefer brackish water but can be found far inside estuaries, especially juvenile mullet. They are an inshore fish and can be found at a variety of depths. Juveniles occur offshore.
- Fantail mullet are often seen leaping in and out of the water as they cruise shallow bays and lagoons.