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$$$ Million dollar tuna

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Beau, Jan 6, 2019.

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  1. Beau, Jan 6, 2019
    #1
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    So the press has been showing various pictures of this 612 lb tuna bought for $3M in Tokyo. Nothing special here in the NE. But I am amazed at how they are treating that expensive source of sushi. All the photos that I have seen have the fish lying on its side unprotected on flat tables with no ice. (Look inside the cavity). Unless they have those rooms heavily refrigerated and I'm missing something about the handling, they are going to have a very bruised and spongy fish ?

    I gotta go fishing more often!
  2. captholli, Jan 6, 2019
    #2
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    These tuna are frozen solid.This gentleman owns the largest chain of sushi restaurants in Japan and its his custom to purchase the first Bluefin of the new year. Last year he paid 1.5 mil.
  3. Beau, Jan 6, 2019
    #3
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    Frozen solid? For Sushi? When sold at Montauk they are iced and put in quilted bags with ice burn protection. Within 24 hours they are across the pacific.

    He calls himself the 'Tuna King" and even he admits he has paid too much.
  4. olderboater, Jan 6, 2019
    #4
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    $4900 per pound.
  5. Beau, Jan 6, 2019
    #5
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    That's why I say, I gotta do more fishing! That's gotta have some flavor....
  6. captholli, Jan 6, 2019
    #6
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    All Tuna for commercial consumption are flash frozen to kill parasites and bacteria. Be it Montauk or Wanchese, by the time they hit the cargo plane they're frozen solid tuna bricks. Most people think that their eating "fresh tuna" when consuming sushi but that's not the case.
  7. captholli, Jan 6, 2019
    #7
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Oops! What do I know? After a Google go round, not ALL sushi tuna is frozen afterall but rather 50 to 60 % of tuna are frozen for trips abroad to balance the supply and demand of the market. I was a believer in the frozen myth for health reasons i.e. parasites etc. from numerous chefs aboard yachts. Oh well, I correct myself for posterity's sake... Long live fresh sushi!!
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
  8. saltysenior, Jan 6, 2019
    #8
    saltysenior

    saltysenior Senior Member

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    when I fished Montauk, Carl Darenburg made me tow them back to sea after they took s picture....guess they had no flavor then...
  9. PacBlue, Jan 6, 2019
    #9
    PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    It’s mostly cultural symbolism, the fish must come from local waters, it is not anything extraordinary to warrant that price but it will be an ‘honor” to pay to eat that fish.

    Kind of like showing off.,...
  10. RER, Jan 6, 2019
    #10
    RER

    RER Senior Member

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    Publicity stunt by all involved. That amount of dough is not changing hands. Just like their prior 'record price' fish.
  11. Beau, Jan 6, 2019
    #11
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    I believe you are correct that most fish entering the USA from abroad have to be frozen and maybe even irradiated? (dunno) . But when they are going the other way, I believe the destination country rules probably apply. But I'm guessing
  12. Capt J, Jan 7, 2019
    #12
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    In the US, fish destined for sushi have to be flash frozen like you say in order to be sold in a sushi market. Other countries may be different. Fish just destined for the fish market to be sold for cooking don't fall under this standard and generally are not flash frozen before being sold.
  13. bayoubud, Jan 7, 2019
    #13
    bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Quick way to eliminate a species.
  14. captholli, Jan 7, 2019
    #14
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    When you see videos of that famous fish auction market in Tokyo the tuna carcasses displayed on those wheeled trolley's are so deeply frozen that they literally smoke.
    It makes sense to freeze a product that has a limited refrigerated "fresh" shelf life. Eradicating parasites by freezing makes sense also & that's what I was told by numerous chefs aboard yachts but I have no experience to back that claim up.
  15. Capt J, Jan 7, 2019
    #15
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The FDA has a whole set of rules and regulations for it that are far too lengthy to post, but includes times and temperatures etc.

    https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/UCM252393.pdf


    Here's one for Manitoba, but excludes tuna from the freezing process:

    • Seafood products to be served raw must:  Have been frozen at a temperature of –20°C (-4°F) for 7 days or  below –35°C (-31°F) for 15 hours, to destroy parasites that might be present unless:  The fish was aquaculture-raised and fed formulated feed that contained no live parasites infective to the fish, OR  The product is confirmed as tuna of the species Yellowfin, Bluefin, Bigeye, Albacore, or Blackfin

    https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/environmentalhealth/protection/docs/sushi.pdf
  16. PacBlue, Jan 7, 2019
    #16
    PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    The $/pound values that the guys see on the Wicked Tuna show are estimates only and are subject to the actual wholesale auction price in Tokyo.

    The fisherman rarely get the full price the TV show "sells" to the audience.
  17. Beau, Jan 7, 2019
    #17
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    No expert, but I believe tuna is the only fish exempted from the USA flash freeze rule, though a lot of it is.
  18. Beau, Jan 7, 2019
    #18
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    When tuna is sold at the Montauk docks, its usually cash in hand. Unless you have a broker or an account with a wholesaler.
  19. wdrzal, Jan 7, 2019
    #19
    wdrzal

    wdrzal Senior Member

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    After this thread every boat in the northeast will be charted to go tuna fishing new years eve 2020.
  20. PtJudeRI, Jan 8, 2019
    #20
    PtJudeRI

    PtJudeRI Senior Member

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    As stated before, it's kind of a publicity stunt. There is a good luck element to buying the first fish of the New year at the Tsukiji market as well . Brings prosperity. Nothing much to do with the fish itself.
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