What Kind of Fish Is Healthy to Eat (and What To Avoid!)

Hey, friend! Robert Sikes, here! I had a great conversation with Jessica Rhodes recently, and I want to share the highlights with you. In this episode, I interview Jessica, co-owner of Craft Fish Co., a small family-run company that cans truly craft albacore tuna. If you like honest food talk, sustainability, and real-life family hustle, you'll dig this.

Why This Caught My Attention

Full disclosure: I used to eat a lot of canned tuna back in my bodybuilding days. I burned out on the usual watery, dry cans you find on the grocery shelf. So when Jessica slid into my DMs and offered me some of their tuna, I was skeptical. I tried it and it changed my mind. It actually tasted like real fish. The packaging looked like a craft product you'd want to give as a gift. But more than that, the story behind the product stuck with me.

Jessica and her husband JJ don't just source fish from some anonymous supply chain. They catch it, process it, and help package it. Every can tells a story: who caught the fish, where it came from, and how it was handled. That transparency matters to a lot of people, and it matters to me.

How Jessica and JJ Got Into This

Jessica has a background in nutrition and became a nurse practitioner, but she fell in love with the fishing life through work and family. JJ grew up in sport fishing and moved into commercial fishing about 15 years ago. They're a fishing family. JJ spends about five months a year at sea, typically June through October, catching albacore on their boat.

They recently launched Craft Fish Co. to bring their fish directly to consumers. Their goal was simple: make a product they'd feed their own kids and be proud to sell to others. They're hands-on at every step. Jessica even wraps the cans herself.

What Makes Their Fishing Method Different

This is the part I found especially interesting. Craft Fish Co. uses pull-and-line and jig methods; each fish is caught one at a time. That means:

• No nets are dragging the ocean floor
• No indiscriminate longlines with thousands of hooks
• Targeted catch size, nothing under about 10 pounds
• No bycatch of turtles, sharks, or other species

Jessica compared it to the differences we talk about with eggs. "Cage-free" isn't the same as "pasture-raised." In the same way, "line-caught" on a label can mean very different things. A longline that's miles long and left in the water is technically line-caught, but it's not the same as the hand-lined or jigging method they use.

Sustainability and Nutrition Go Hand-in-Hand

Because they catch smaller, younger albacore in colder North Pacific waters, the fish have lower mercury levels. Jessica explained they test regularly through the American Pacific Hook and Line Fishermen's Association (APHLFA). Their fish have tested around 0.11 parts per million of mercury, well below FDA limits and lower than some other canned tunas marketed as "low mercury."

Another big point: how the fish is processed matters for nutrition. Most canned albacore is cooked whole, filleted after cooking, and then canned—effectively cooking the fish twice. Craft Fish Co. fillets the fish before cooking, so the pieces go into the can and are cooked only once. That preserves more natural oils and omega-3s.

They offer an olive oil pack as their premium product and are moving to a natural pack (fish + salt) without added water or soybean oil. No weird fillers. Just actual fish.

Day-to-Day Life On The Boat

I asked Jessica what a day looks like on the boat. Here's the snapshot:

• Trips are typically 2–30 days long. The boat is provisioned for about 30 days.
• They fish from early morning until late at night, jigs in the water when the light cracks and full tilt the rest of the day.
• Fish are kept in a refrigerated seawater hold at about 6°C to maintain freshness.
• Good days can yield hundreds to nearly a thousand fish, depending on method and conditions.

It's hard work. Long days, seven days a week, for months at a time. Commercial fishing is seasonal and risky; fuel costs, crew pay, and weather all affect whether a trip is profitable. Jessica talked candidly about the trade-offs: life is demanding, but the rewards, both financial and emotional, can be big when the season goes well.

Running a Small, Honest Food Business

Craft Fish Co. is a domestic, small-batch operation. Their fish are caught in U.S. waters and canned in an artisanal Oregon cannery. That costs more than sending fish overseas to a high-volume cannery, and margins are thin. But Jessica and JJ chose quality and traceability over the cheaper option.

They're direct-to-consumer for now. Jessica said they want to grow smart: specialty markets, wineries, or select retail are on the table, but mass distribution into big-box stores might dilute the story and remove the consumer education component that's central to what they do.

Life At Home: Parenting With a Fisherman

JJ is gone about five months a year, and Jessica runs the home front with two little kids—one just turned three, and the other is four. It's a real balancing act. She described being the primary caregiver while building the business, packing orders at night, answering emails in naps, and making the most of the months when the whole family is together.

She's starting to homeschool their son (TK) and uses real-life moments for learning, counting stairs, collecting rocks by shape on the beach, and talking about the family business. She acknowledges it's not easy, but she's grateful to be able to be home with the kids and to teach them hands-on.

How Their Family Eats It

Jessica keeps it simple and practical. She'll make tuna burgers with just canned albacore, an egg, and breadcrumbs (sometimes sourdough crumbs) and pan-sear them for a couple of minutes per side. They do protein bowls, salads, and sandwiches; the kids even enjoy tuna straight out of the can. The cans pack serious protein: Jessica said about 42 grams in a little can, plus tons of omega-3s, vitamin D, selenium, and B12.

Her kids love it so much that sometimes they demand tuna for breakfast. That's both funny and reassuring: this is food the family trusts and enjoys.

Where To Get It and The Launch

They just launched the website and are selling small batches. Because the raw material is only available for a short time each year, inventory moves fast. If you want to try their albacore in olive oil, check them out at craftfishco.com. Jessica offered a 15% discount for first orders with code "SAVAGE".

My Takeaways

• 1.  Quality and transparency matter. Knowing who caught the fish and how it was handled changes how you feel about the product.
• 2.  Fishing method affects sustainability and nutrition. Hand-lined and jigged fish mean no bycatch and better oil preservation.
• 3.  Small-batch, domestic processing costs more, but it preserves quality and traceability.
• 4.  Building a business around values is hard work, but it's rewarding. Jessica and JJ are clearly in it for the right reasons: family, fishermen's craft, and better food.

FAQ

Is the tuna low in mercury?

Yes. Jessica said their tuna typically tests around 0.11 parts per million of mercury. That's far below the FDA limit and lower than many other canned tunas marketed as low-mercury. Two reasons: they catch smaller albacore, and they fish in colder North Pacific waters.

How is the fish caught?

Each fish is caught one at a time using a pull-line or jig method. No nets and no longlines with thousands of hooks. That reduces bycatch and environmental disruption.

Is there added oil or water?

Their premium pack is in olive oil. They also plan to offer a natural pack (fish + salt) with no added water or soybean oil. The fish is filleted before cooking and cooked once to keep nutrients intact.

Where are the cans processed?

Cans are processed domestically in an artisanal cannery in Oregon. Jessica and JJ chose a higher-cost, higher-quality cannery rather than sending fish abroad for cheaper processing.

How can I buy it?

Visit craftfishco.com. Inventory is limited due to seasonal catches, so if you're interested, grab some sooner rather than later. Use code "SAVAGE" for 15% off your first order.

What about the business? Will they scale into big-box stores?

They're focused on direct-to-consumer and specialty markets for now. Jessica wants to keep control and educate customers. Big-box distribution could dilute the story and remove that personal touch.

Final Thoughts and a Quick Invite

I loved talking to Jessica because her story ties food, family, and values together in a way you don't always see. They aren't trying to be the cheapest. They're trying to be the best, with ethical fishing, careful processing, and transparent practices. That's something I'm proud to support.

If you're serious about getting shredded, understanding nutrition, or just want better food for your family, I've got a FREE Masterclass that might help. It's my 7-Phase Savage System: simple, practical, and no nonsense. Check it out here:

And if you want to try Jessica's tuna, head to craftfishco.com and use code "SAVAGE" for 15% off your first order. Small batch, honest product, made by people who fish for a living and eat this stuff every day.

Stay savage!