World’s Most Expensive Tuna

The bluefin tuna is a species in decline. While the Pacific variety isn’t as endangered as the West Atlantic bluefin, it’s quite telling that half of the 600 devices that researchers from Tag-A-Giant attached to Pacific bluefins were returned to the New York-based operation by fishermen seeking the $500 reward for each device. Combine the pressure from fishing with the weather experienced in the region this year and you have a species that may not be around to see 2010.

It certainly doesn’t help that it’s such a tasty fish.

In early 2009, a 282-pound bluefin caught off the northern coast of Oma was sold to a pair of rival restaurateurs who set aside their differences to procure the massive fish for $100,000. In 2001, a 440-pound tuna was sold for the phenomenal price of $220,000.

In 2010, however, the 440-pound tuna’s record was beaten by the sale of a gargantuan 513-pound bluefin. Sold at Tokyo’s Tsukiji market, the most expensive tuna in the world was also purchased by a confederacy of restaurateurs—this time the owners of two sushi restaurants in Japan and the owner of one in Hong Kong.

As the world recently celebrated the start of a new year, sushi connoisseurs worldwide also celebrated a brand new record for the world’s most expensive tuna sold at auction. Purchased at the same Japanese fish market as the previous record holder in Tokyo, this blue fin tuna is substantially bigger than its predecessor. At 269 kilograms (539 pounds), Kiyoshi Kimura purchased the delicious fish at $1,238 per pound.

When you do the math, it adds up to $736,000 US. Kiyoshi, the CEO of a popular sushi chain reportedly bought the most expensive tuna in the world to celebrate his restaurants’ obviously soaring profits while also taking advantage of the publicity that comes with such a purchase.

Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market

Part of the reason for these phenomenal prices, of course, is the bluefin’s rarity. While forty-one bluefin tuna were sold at a 2008 auction, only three were sold at the same auction in 2009. The economic crisis, however, may have been a boon for the bluefin population as consumers found the fish too rich for their wallets. In adition, The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas reduced the quota for the 2010 catch to 13,500 tons—around two-thirds of the former quota.

Still, offering a reward for the prize in the fish’s belly might not have been such a good idea after all.

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  1. missy

    the fish is yummy but why not help others people who need help like those hungry people on the street.

  2. Jason

    There is nothing like eating Blue Fin Tuna.. I wish they would still be around for my children to enjoy. How can we stop the world from fishing them for just a few years? Good luck, kinda hard not to catch for over a hundred dollars a pound on average.

  3. LJones


  4. Hussain

    Tuna is our main dish we use in every day food here in M


  5. fish tank ornaments

    yum yum yum yum…tasty fish……i love tunaa

  6. alice the goon

    i love popeye

  7. Hector

    we need to protect this variety of fish it is really bad that people cant still how important is the nature and they just care to satisfy their ego

  8. truckertrash

    eat all the bluefin you want! the worlds ending soon anyhow!