A bluefin tuna sells for record $1.76M in Tokyo

[n2doc]

TOKYO (AP) — A bluefin tuna sold for a record $1.76 million at a Tokyo auction Saturday, nearly three times the previous high set last year.

In the year's first auction at Tokyo's sprawling Tsukiji fish market, a 489-pound tuna caught off northeastern Japan sold for 155.4 million yen, said Ryoji Yagi, a market official.

The fish's tender pink and red meat is prized for sushi and sashimi, but bluefin tuna stocks have fallen globally over the past 15 years amid overfishing.

The winning bidder, Kiyoshi Kimura, president of Kiyomura Co., which operates the Sushi-Zanmai restaurant chain, said "the price was a bit high," but that he wanted to "give Japan a boost," according to Kyodo News agency. He was planning to serve the fish to customers later Saturday.

Kimura also set the old record of 56.4 million yen at last year's New Year's auction, which tends to attract high bids as a celebratory way to kick off the new year — or get some publicity. The high prices don't necessarily reflect exceptionally high fish quality.

The price works out to a stunning $3,603 per pound.

more
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/01/04/bluefin-tuna-tokyo-sushi/1810557/

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. On 60 minutes I remember them showing how they can get 100 dollars or more

for a....perfect cantaloupe! Or apple! or several stunning strawberries.

to each their own, I guess......

[Earth_First]

2. Is anyone able to give some perspective on how much this one fish will supply...

in terms of sushi?

How much tuna in a sushi resturant will a 489-pound bluefin tuna provide?

Anyone know?

[TexasBushwhacker]

5. They cut up a 593# bluefin into 10K pieces n/t

[exboyfil]

3. And of course the tuna will not be

able to have anymore little tuna thus accelerating when we will have no more blue fin tuna.

I read an article once how they hunt these fish (sonar, aircraft, etc). It ain't your daddy's fishing.

[redqueen]

4. Hey, here's an idea: When a species becomes that rare

how about you STOP FUCKING EATING IT!

[hunter]

6. Here's my prediction: The last Bluefin Tuna caught will sell for 3.7 billion dollars...

... and it will be delicious.

Meanwhile Wal-Mart will be renting out domestic servants for $7.00 a week, but you will be contractually obligated to feed them and pay a $600 penalty fee if you return them to Wal-Mart dead or disabled.

[Tab]

7. Silly people, they could have had a £1 fish.