• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Write for us
No Result
View All Result
Friday, January 22, 2021
THE MILLENNIAL SOURCE
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter
TMS
No Result
View All Result
Home WORLD

Tuna sells for $1.8 million at Tokyo auction

January 6, 2020
in WORLD
Reading Time: 3 minute read
Tuna sells for $1.8 million at Tokyo auction
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin



A bluefin tuna has sold for $1.8 million in the first auction of the new year at Tokyo’s Toyosu Fish Market, marking the second-highest price ever to be paid in a fish auction. The tuna weighed 276 kg (608 lb) and was caught off the northern Aomori Prefecture. 

According to state broadcaster, Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK), the successful bidder was Kiyoshi Kimura, head of Sushizanmai – a sushi restaurant chain. Kimura was dubbed “The Tuna King” after he paid a record $3.14 million to become the successful bidder for a 278 kg (612 lb) tuna in 2018.

The Tuna King is no stranger to media attention for paying exorbitant amounts of money for fish. “Yes, this is expensive, isn’t it? I want our customers to eat very tasty ones this year too,” he told reporters at the auction. 

Why bluefin tuna is so expensive

Due to a high demand in Japan, the bluefin tuna fetches the highest prices at market auctions. It is the largest and most fatty tuna fish and it is a favorite at Japanese sushi restaurants.

As of 2015, a large bluefin has been going for $50,000 to $70,000 in Japan, meaning most American markets cannot compete. As Japanese demand increases, fewer bluefin reach breeding age, significantly reducing populations through overfishing – likely skyrocketing prices again. 

Extinction concerns

All three species of bluefin tuna are currently overfished and over the last few years, attempts to protect the bluefin tuna have been prevented by fishing interest groups in Japan, New Zealand the US, as well as some Mediterranean countries. The three species of bluefin are the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern, with the Atlantic being the largest and most endangered. 

Most catches of Atlantic bluefin tuna are taken from the Mediterranean Sea, which is the main bluefin tuna fishery in the world.
To improve breeding stock and keep a steady supply of bluefin, aquaculturists are working to establish sea farms where schools of tuna are raised in the open ocean and then herded to market.

This practice is seen as a sustainable sushi movement. However, it is a seemingly difficult task as bluefin is a delicate species and not fit for farming. It took the research team at Japan’s Kinki (Kindai) University 32 years to successfully establish a fully-closed life-cycle farming program for bluefin tuna.

Have a tip or story? Get in touch with our reporters at [email protected]

Like TMS? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter

Related

Tags: AsiaBusinessShort read
ShareTweetShare

Latest Posts

Janet Yellen calls for “big” stimulus under Biden administration as US recovery slows

Janet Yellen calls for “big” stimulus under Biden administration as US recovery slows

January 21, 2021
What is Poshmark, the secondhand retail app going public?

What is Poshmark, the secondhand retail app going public?

January 20, 2021
What is Biden’s plan to vaccinate America?

What is Biden’s plan to vaccinate America?

January 19, 2021

Will infrastructure bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans under President Biden?

January 18, 2021

China’s geopolitical forecast for 2021

January 17, 2021

Telegram and Signal user numbers soar after WhatsApp rules change

January 17, 2021

What is NIO, Tesla’s biggest Chinese competitor?

January 14, 2021

What direction will US-China relations take under President Biden?

January 13, 2021

Will Japan’s relationship with China change under Prime Minister Suga?

January 12, 2021
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Write for us

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

No Result
View All Result
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

The Millennial Source
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.