Giant tuna sells for $177,000

[AndyS]

TOKYO – A giant bluefin tuna fetched 16.3 million yen ($177,000) in an auction Tuesday at the world's largest wholesale fish market in Japan.

The 513-pound (233-kilogram) fish was the priciest since 2001 when a 440-pound (200 kilogram) tuna sold for a record 20.2 million yen ($220,000) at Tokyo's Tsukiji market.

The gargantuan tuna was bought and shared by the owners of two Japanese sushi restaurants and one Hong Kong-based sushi establishment, said a market representative on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information.

Caught off the coast of northern Japan, the big tuna was among 570 put up for auction Tuesday. About 40 percent of the auctioned fish came from abroad, including from Indonesia and Mexico, the representative said.

Japan is the world's biggest consumer of seafood with Japanese eating 80 percent of the Atlantic and Pacific bluefins caught. The two tuna species are the most sought after by sushi lovers.

However, tuna consumption in Japan has declined because of a prolonged economic slump as the world's second-largest economy struggles to shake off its worst recession since World War II.

"Consumers are shying away from eating tuna ... We are very worried about the trend," the market representative said.

Apart from falling demand for tuna, wholesalers are worried about growing calls for tighter fishing rules amid declining tuna stocks.

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas in November slashed the quota for the 2010 catch by about one-third to 13,500 tons (12,250 metric tons) — a move criticized by environmentalists as not going far enough.


!!!!!!!!!!!!-------- 570 TUNA THAT DAY ---------!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Leif]

Got a couple of e-mails on this crap today.

I hope demand goes down to effing ZERO for the things.

Just another example of a few getting rich at the expense of the big bluefins and what could AND USED TO BE a good recreational fishery.

At least 40% come from "other" countries including ours and I am sure it is much higher because the northern coat of Japan is pretty much BARRON of these fish.

KILL EM ALL!

Leif

[Capt. Lou]

Not to beat a dead horse, but talk to any Gt Tuna angler today,they all sell fish as I myself once did. I've always said take the value away from the bluefin and conservation will never be required. However as long as Asian countries have a market this apparently will never happen! That demand overseas has compromised all aspects of this fishery. Anyone entering this fishery today is probably in it for the dollar.
There is nothing wrong with that if it's within the law ,the only real losers are the fish and any guys that like to sport fish for them. Under present conditions the Gt bluefin is hard pressed to surive.. I would hate to think the foreign country catch abuses that go on,they if left to their own divices, I believe will catch the last Gt from their waters, with little or no regard for any of us on this side of the pond! Our gov't seems powerless to correct anything,porobably the best we have going is the meat issue. Maybe when all is said & done this may alone save the bluefin!
Scary to think that a mere 20 seasons ago a gt to me meant at least a 500lb fish ,now thay talk inches, and most are not true gts. That's not a good sign for any future fishery regarding these majestic creatures!