4 January 2019 (The Guardian) – A record $3.1 m (£2.4 m) has been paid for a giant bluefin tuna at Tokyo’s new fish market, which replaced the world-famous Tsukiji late last year.

The winning bid for the prized but endangered species at the predawn auction was more than double the 2013 annual New Year auction.
The 278 kg fish (612 pounds) was caught off Japan’s northern coast.
It was paid by sushi tycoon Kiyoshi Kimura, who runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura’s Kiyomura Corp has often won the annual auction in the past.

Japanese broadcaster NHK showed a beaming Kimura saying that he was surprised by the high price of tuna this year.
But he added: “The quality of the tuna I bought is the best.” […]

A record $3.1m (£2.4m) has been paid for a giant bluefin tuna at Tokyo’s new fish market, which replaced the world-famous Tsukiji late last year. It was paid by sushi tycoon Kiyoshi Kimura, who runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. on 5 January 2019. Photo: The Guardian

“The celebration surrounding the annual Pacific bluefin auction hides how deeply in trouble this species really is,” said Jamie Gibbon, associate manager for global tuna conservation at The Pew Charitable Trusts. [more]

Sushi king pays record $3.1m for endangered bluefin tuna in Japan