# 489-lbs. Bluefin Tuna Sells for Record $1,763,000 in Japan, Jan. 2013



## BornToHuntAndFish (Jan 6, 2013)

Whoa, looks like the price of fish is really going up. 

$1,763,000 / 489-lbs. = $3,605 per pound (Breaking last year's 2012 Record)

Japan consumes 80% of the world's catch of bluefin tuna.



http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog...for+record+176+million+in+japan+sushi+anyone/ 

Bluefin tuna sells for record $1.76 million in Japan; sushi anyone? 

Saturday, January 5, 2013 















Bluefin Tuna Auctioned For Record $1.7 Million

 

Jan 5, 2013


AND 


http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/0...76-million-at-tokyo-auction-3-times-previous/ 

Bluefin tuna sells for record $1.76 million at Tokyo auction, 3 times previous record

Published January 04, 2013 







"Winning bidder Kiyoshi Kimura, president of Kiyomura Co., poses with a bluefin tuna in front of his Sushi Zanmai restaurant near Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. The bluefin tuna caught off northeastern Japan fetched a record 155.40 million yen, or about $1,763,000, in the first auction of the year at the fish market. The tuna was caught off Oma in Aomori prefecture." 


AND 


http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/bizarre&id=8943758 

OR 

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/national_world&id=8943661

Bluefin tuna sells for record $1.76M in Tokyo 

Saturday, January 05, 2013













AND 


http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/field-notes/2013/01/bluefin-tuna-sold-japan-record-176-million 

Bluefin Tuna Sells for Record $1.7M in Japan 

January 08, 2013


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## Bryannecker (Jan 6, 2013)

*Let us sell our bluefins to Japan!!??*

Ya'll ever watch "Wicked Tuna" on cable?  We have limits on tuna seasons and numbers per NMFS/NOAA that are the most restrictive in the world.  Why not loosen them and let our fishermen export to Japan?  That would put a dent in the national debt in short order!  Just a thought!  
Capt. Jimmy


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## grouper throat (Jan 6, 2013)

Bryannecker said:


> Ya'll ever watch "Wicked Tuna" on cable?  We have limits on tuna seasons and numbers per NMFS/NOAA that are the most restrictive in the world.  Why not loosen them and let our fishermen export to Japan?  That would put a dent in the national debt in short order!  Just a thought!
> Capt. Jimmy



Its one of my favorite shows and I agree. Why should we been the only Country with super restrictive limits and seasons.


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## d-a (Jan 6, 2013)

Bryannecker said:


> Ya'll ever watch "Wicked Tuna" on cable?  We have limits on tuna seasons and numbers per NMFS/NOAA that are the most restrictive in the world.  Why not loosen them and let our fishermen export to Japan?  That would put a dent in the national debt in short order!  Just a thought!
> Capt. Jimmy



That's a tradition, the first tuna of the year always sells for an astronomical price. 

We do export our Tuna to Japan already. 


d-a


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## Gadget (Jan 7, 2013)

Remember last year was a record too, guess it's a prestige thing, no way they'd get their money back on it.


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## GASeminole (Jan 7, 2013)

The folks in the East are very superstitious and also put much emphasis around numbers, dates, etc. and their correlation to luck, health, and good fortune. 

Im sure there are enough 2nd tier egomaniacs below this buyer who will also hemmorage the correct change to say that they had the first tuna of the year, etc. and really believe that they are eating something special as well.


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## Capt Adam Peeples (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank goodness the best Bluefin fishery isn't in Japanese waters or they would already be extinct.


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## bluemarlin (Jan 7, 2013)

Try and find bluefin on the menu at restaurants here in The U.S... They all take plane rides over there. All the fish caught on that TV show go to Japan through a fish broker who winches the fish out of the boat when they arrive back to port then grades the quality of the meat. The more fat between the rings of meat the higher the price per pound. 
I did it for years off Cape Cod. Big business that's full of greed!
On the other hand, 60+ pounds of drag and watching those fish smoke the reel then throwing a harpoon at first opportunity is priceless.


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## d-a (Jan 7, 2013)

bluemarlin said:


> Try and find bluefin on the menu at restaurants here in The U.S... They all take plane rides over there. All the fish caught on that TV show go to Japan through a fish broker who winches the fish out of the boat when they arrive back to port then grades the quality of the meat. The more fat between the rings of meat the higher the price per pound.
> I did it for years off Cape Cod. Big business that's full of greed!
> On the other hand, 60+ pounds of drag and watching those fish smoke the reel then throwing a harpoon at first opportunity is priceless.




Funny, according to NOAA data, the US imports more tonnage of Bluefin tuna than it exports. What makes the Bluefin tuna that is caught along the east coast of the US more marketable is due to there fat content. Bigger they are the more fat they have 






d-a


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## bluemarlin (Jan 7, 2013)

d-a said:


> Funny, according to NOAA data, the US imports more tonnage of Bluefin tuna than it exports. What makes the Bluefin tuna that is caught along the east coast of the US more marketable is due to there fat content. Bigger they are the more fat they have
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I speak from experience of catching giants off the Cape. All the fish we caught up there went for a ride across the pond. I do hear about the occasional short that gets back door in a restaurant. Also, I'm not talking about small bluefin... Talking giants. Tons of bait off Cape Cod that fattens up those tuna. The American market can't absorb the quaility of those fish. The money is in Japan.

I know nothing on NOAA imports but would take a guess that the fish imported aren't giants. I caught 20 pound bluefin off Islamorada. I always let them go but know of some that kept those future granders... Point is, bluefin are all over the world. Fish off the Cape go for rides on jets.

d-a, Being big doesn't mean more fat. Each fish is different. I remember 700 pounders that were lean and had no fat. Some of the highest paying fish seemed to be in the 500 pound range but you never know... Having a honest broker is key too.


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## Nicodemus (Jan 7, 2013)

Thats a pile of money for a fish fry.


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## Gadget (Jan 7, 2013)

used to see quality "Toro" here in the 90's, Ru-San used to always have some big fat Toro steaks hidden in the bottom cooler..... ; but you don't see it much anymore, and when you do it's often fake or of low quality.


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## bluemarlin (Jan 7, 2013)

^Exactly. Or you may see bluefin on a menu but can you really tell the difference in a chunk of yellowfin v/s bluefin. How many times do you see grouper on the menu and can actually know for certain that it's real grouper? 
There is lots to the grading of sushi quality tuna. Japan and the prices they pay is the driving force of the giant tuna depletion. It's a no brainer when you see a sub 500 pound fish selling for 1.7 million!


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## d-a (Jan 7, 2013)

bluemarlin said:


> There is lots to the grading of sushi quality tuna. Japan and the prices they pay is the driving force of the giant tuna depletion. It's a no brainer when you see a sub 500 pound fish selling for 1.7 million!



Since you giant fished the cape then I'm sure your aware of the Japanese and that there rich in tradition and heritage. It's that tradition and heritage that makes the first blue fin tuna sold of the year every year go for extremely high prices. 

d-a


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## bluemarlin (Jan 7, 2013)

That's the jackpot fish. 
I'm much more familiar with being paid 12-15 bucks a pound a few days after catching one.


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Jan 9, 2013)

Thanks for the posts which I learned lots from.


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## Willfishforfood40 (Jan 30, 2013)

Bryannecker said:


> Ya'll ever watch "Wicked Tuna" on cable?  We have limits on tuna seasons and numbers per NMFS/NOAA that are the most restrictive in the world.  Why not loosen them and let our fishermen export to Japan?  That would put a dent in the national debt in short order!  Just a thought!
> Capt. Jimmy



That just makes to much sense Capt. Jimmy.


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## Unicoidawg (Jan 30, 2013)

Nicodemus said:


> Thats a pile of money for a fish fry.



They ain't cooking it Nic.......


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## Gordon (Jan 31, 2013)

It all makes me very worried for the Bluefins future.

The net import of Bluefins to the USA is probably in the form of canned tuna.


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## The Captain (Feb 4, 2013)

I will sell them a stringer of stripers for a quarter milion,,,


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## shakey gizzard (Feb 4, 2013)

"Small fish = big checks!"


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