The World's Best Fish

Or at least the most expensive: Bluefin tuna sells for record $1.76M in Tokyo

A bluefin tuna sold for a record $1.76 million at a Tokyo auction Saturday, nearly three times the previous high set last year — even as environmentalists warn that stocks of the majestic, speedy fish are being depleted worldwide amid strong demand for sushi.

In the year's first auction at Tokyo's sprawling Tsukiji fish market, the 222-kilogram (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. The best slices of fatty bluefin — called "o-toro" here — can sell for 2,000 yen ($24) per piece at upmarket Tokyo sushi bars.

Japanese eat 80 percent of the bluefin tuna caught worldwide, and much the global catch is shipped to Japan for consumption.

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 "encourage Japan," according to Kyodo News agency. He was planning to serve the fish to customers later Saturday.

I've written about America's love of tuna previously, and reported last year's record price as well, but Americans can't compete with Japan's insanity over the fish. 

Too bad the Bluefin stocks are in so much trouble. But for prices like that would commercial fisherman would catch and fillet their own mothers.

For more amusement with Bluefin Tuna, watch Wicked Tuna on the National Geographic Channel, the story of Gloucester, Massachusetts hook and line fishermen, specializing in catching giant Bluefins for the sushi trade.  Sort of poor, nasty man's Deadliest Catch.